ANBU at Hogwarts
by Michiyami
Summary: Now all ANBU, Team 7 have accepted a mission to guard a school in a foreign country. The client is Harry Potter of Hogwarts. As the two worlds clash all Hell is about to break loose. SasuNaru/NaruSasu. READ AT OWN PERIL! Is my 'lacking' first story.
1. Prologue

This is my first fanfic ever. Also my first story ever to be put online. Please review, and give your opinions and suggestions. I hope you enjoy.

Everyone does this, so i think im suppose to too. Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters in the story. They are owned by J.K Rowling and Masashi Kishimoto. I am only using them and their personalities in my fiction.

" "- talking

_' '- thinking_

**" "- Kyuubi/Inner Sakura**

* * *

**_--Chapter One--_**

**_--Prologue--_**

CRASH. The windows of the building shook with an impact equivalent to a herd of elephants and the Godaime Hokage Tsunade was awoken from her afternoon slumber. As her sake affected mind began to function, one name swam to the surface of her thoughts.

"UZUMAKI NARUTO!" she screamed. "If you don't get here this instant you are going to be demoted back to Genin PERMANENTLY!"

"Aw hell…"

With a 'poof' of smoke a blondie in a porcelain mask decorated with a fox face appeared in the room and stood before Tsunade. He looked up, and then removed his ANBU mask to reveal a guilty face.

Glaring dangerously at him, Tsunade said in a treacherously sweet voice "Naruto, before I throttle you with my bare hands, I shall give you one chance. Explain why the entire building as well as the entire Hokage _mountain_ was shaking, and I shall hear none of the usual crap."

Naruto gulped. _'Oh God she's mad. Dammit, knew I should've waited until she'd finished her nap'._

He took a deep breath. "Ahh, well you see 'bachan- "

"WHAT HAVE I TOLD YOU ABOUT CALLING ME THAT!". An explosion was heard, and a certain boy was punched through a wall.

A normal day in the _peaceful_ village of Konoha. The villagers had over the years grown accustomed to the rows which would occur between the Godaime and Naruto, and indeed, whenever such a row did not occur when Naruto was bored and Tsunade was in her tower, the villagers would start to feel…disturbed?

_

* * *

__--A Couple of Days Later--_

Sasuke walked down the street, his hands in his pockets, and his black hair swept into his face. All around him he could hear the whispering…relentless…unforgiving…so painful. Yet in his heart, he knew he deserved all that he was getting from them. His own selfishness had caused him this, and he would accept it until the villagers would forgive him, although how long until that time, he didn't know, and didn't want to think about.

"Sasuke-kun!"

He looked up to see Sakura dressed in a casual pink tank and the usual skirt waving at him. Today was a day off for all three of them and they had _agreed_ to meet up at Ichiraku's place for lunch. Naruto had won the rock, paper, scissors match to decide the restaurant and so, Sasuke and Sakura had no choice but to agree to yet another meal of _ramen_.

They enjoyed these days together and over the years, there was no more pretense between them. Sakura had long ago got over her childhood crush on Sasuke and both her and Naruto had forgiven him and welcomed him back into their little group. Shikamaru, Chouji, Kiba and the other members of the Rookie 9 had also forgiven Sasuke but since that fateful event, were always keeping up some guard around the Uchiha. After all, he was an avenger, and if ever he were to hear about the whereabouts of Itachi, they didn't know what he would do.

Now he, Naruto and Sakura were all members of the ANBU. Naruto was actually Captain of one team. Throughout the village they were famous, although Sasuke's name was somewhat tainted.

And hilariously, he and Naruto had switched places in their social lives. Naruto was now the one who got girl's attentions. Not as much as Sasuke used to but much more than the affections he had received in his academy years.

"Hey" Sasuke greeted Sakura. "The idiot not here yet?".

"Nope, late, and for ramen too!"

"Hn. Whats he gotten himself into this time I wonder…"

"Hey Sasuke! Sakura-Chan!". They looked around to see the hyperactive Naruto jumping down from a nearby roof. The tenant of this particular house was not pleased, and shook her fist at Naruto. "Use the path you good for nothing- "

They quickly retreated into Ichiraku's.

The old man stepped out from behind the counter and greeted them. "What'll it be this time then?"

Naruto and Sasuke each ordered a bowl of Miso Ramen and Sakura settled for some okonomiyaki, insisting she wasn't very hungry.

As the old man walked off Sakura eyed Naruto and peered closely at him. He abruptly turned when he felt her gaze and she said "Naruto. What did you do?"

He sweatdropped, because truly, he was innocent. "Eh? Whatever do you mean Sakura-Chan?"

Sakura glared and Naruto seemed to melt under the gaze of her piercing jade eyes.

"Oh don't you lie to me Naruto. You twitch one bit and i know there's something funny. Me and Sasuke-kun have known you long enough to realise when somethings wrong. You've been very quiet for the last few days - not a single prank. Shishou is also very worried about you you know. When i told her we'd be having lunch with you today she entrusted me to get it outta you or if necessary...we could always use torture." She said these last few words casually, returning to eating her meal after she finished. However, the stiffness with which she held herself told Naruto she was waiting for an answer.

Sasuke turned around and made a little noise of agreement. "I quite agree with the torture bit. Listen dobe, if you don't tell us whats up don't regret it when you find yourself tied up at ANBU headquarters."

Naruto stared at them for a second, surprised, but at the same time genuinely happy they'd notice. The old man placed 2 bowls of ramen before them and said "Enjoy" before going off to some other customers.

Naruto snapped his chopsticks apart and began stabbing his ramen.

After awhile -"It's kyuubi." he said softly.

Sakura and Sasuke quickly swept their eyes over the vicinity to make sure no one was in hearing range, and then returned their attention to Naruto. Naruto poked his chopsticks absently at a piece of egg, his eyebrows now frowning. "He's been acting kind of funny of late. Not his normal, evil, murderous, I-wanna-go-on a killing spree funny, but its almost like he's depressed." He then laughed. "Seems like its rubbing off on me".

In the desperate fight which had finally resulted in Orochimaru's death, Kyuubi had helped a great deal. And during this battle they had finally discovered the kyuubi was in fact not at all as bad as it was made out to be. The Kyuubi had calmly expained to them that the deaths of the shinobis which had initiated the conflict nearly 2 decades before in Konoha were purely accidental.

Sakura placed a hand gently on Naruto's shoulder and he relaxed very slightly. "Don't worry Naruto. Kyuubi's got emotions like us so its only natural that he'll also have his ups and downs. I mean, he's been trapped in a cage for so long, and since he's never going be able to get out…" She left her sentence there.

At that moment an ANBU wearing a dragon mask appeared behind them with a POOF. He bowed low to Naruto, saluted Sasuke and Sakura, and then stepped back respectfully and addressed all three.

"Hokage-Sama has sent me to inform you that you are wanted in her office immediately."

The three looked at each other. What could require Tsunade to call them up on a break day? "Do you know what she wants us for?" Sakura asked.

The ANBU shook his head. "I'm afraid i don't." And with another 'poof' of smoke, he disappeared.

Sakura and Sasuke placed some money down on the bench and stood up. They stopped walking at the entrance of the restaraunt and looked hesitantly at Naruto. His head was bowed over, his golden locks obscuring his eyes.

He gave one more big sigh, and then a grin plastered itself across his face, leading from ear to ear. "Well then! Off we go!" He jumped out of his seat, slapped his money down, and leapt to the other two's sides.

Sakura and Sasuke stared.

"What?"he asked.

"Dobe…your mood swings are creepy".

* * *

Next chapter- Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura set out on their new mission, one which will last for an entire year.


	2. We're going where?

Hello again. I hope you like this so far.

" "- talking

_' '- thinking_

**" "- Kyuubi/ Inner Sakura **

* * *

**_--Chapter Two--_**

**_--Nani?! We're going where?!--_**

Harry Potter twisted in his blankets, sweat beading his brow. With a crack of thunder a lightning bolt forked through the night sky, and Harry awoke.

Panting, he grabbed his glasses from the desk next to the bed. Ron was still asleep in the bed opposite his own and snoring fit to wake the heavens.

Another nightmare. He was getting quite a lot of those lately. However, they always seemed to detail the same basic thing. _Hurtling down a strange corridor, in a seemingly underground environment with torches in brackets lining the brick walls. His hand reached out for the door… it was almost open…_and then he would awaken, much to his frustration.

Harry had been at Grimmauld Place for a week now after they'd got wind of him being attacked by dementors. He snorted. To think that he had to almost be killed for them to finally come and take him from the Dursleys. Well now he knew what to do whenever he needed help.

Harry leaned back on his pillows and looked up at the ceiling, eyes resting on the chipping yellow paint. It was clear to him he wasn't going to be getting anymore sleep. It was already 5 in the morning and the first rays of dawn were already coming in through the curtains._ 'Mrs Weasley's probably awake by now. I think I'll go help her in the kitchen.'_

He got out of bed and opened up his trunk at the foot of his bed. He stared. Everything had been chucked pell mell in, and now he was having trouble discerning the leg of a trouser to the sleeve of a shirt. Hedwig hooted from her perch, as if amused.

Harry shot her a quick glare, and then managed to pull out a pair of jeans, a plain white shirt, and a grey jacket with a hoodie. He got rid of his pajamas and put on these. He then proceeded to quietly make his way down the stairs and to the kitchen, not wanting to wake up any of the other ghastly inhabitants residing within the Noble House of Black.

However, when he was about to open the door to the kitchen, his name being spoken from the other side made him stop. A quick battle raged inside his head.

'_I shouldn't eavesdrop.' _

He reached a hand out for the door handle.

_'But they're talking about me.' _

He dropped his hand.

_'Oh what the heck!'_

He eavesdropped. After awhile he could identify the voices as belonging to Mrs Weasley, Mr Weasley, and Tonks.

"Yes Tonks, I've heard about that. Dumbledore apparently hired some assassins or something to guard the school and Harry this year. I'm alright with the idea of Harry having protection, but it strikes me that against you-know-who some muggles with primitive weapons are hardly going to be a use. On the contrary, they'll probably be more of a burden if a fight were to really occur." Mrs Weasley's voice sounded extremely worried.

"Molly, they're _ninjas_ Dumbledore said. I questioned him about their use too, but he just gave that chuckle of his and didn't say anything. I doubt he's going to give us anymore information on the topic either. But if Dumbledore trusts them, then so do I."

Mr Weasly now spoke. "Molly don't worry. Even if these ninjas are not capable of protecting Harry, Harry has proven to us and the whole wizarding community that he is perfectly capable of protecting himself. We should have some confidence in him."

Harry smiled. _'Thank you Mr Weasly'_ he thought.

"Oh… I suppose so. Here Tonks, some breakfast. I daresay you must be tired after your shift."

"Thanks Molly."

"..And if you'd just do something to you're hair instead of that pink, you could give Fleur a run for her money! I'd much prefer you in the family than that proud creature!"

Harry laughed silently. He felt mean, but truth be told, it was pretty much impossible for anyone to give Fleur a run for her money. He also thought Mrs Weasly was being a bit prejudiced towards her. _'Bill likes Fleur, and nothing she says will change that. But I guess its natural that Mrs Weasley is just feeling a bit overprotective.'_

His mind then switched back to the earlier contents of the conversation and he felt a spark of anger. He was going to get _bodyguards?_ Harry snarled. _' I'm having ninjas defend me?'_ In his mind he imagined people dressed in black running around chucking flimsy plastic stars. _'Doesn't anyone think that I'm capable of protecting myself?! They'll see. Those ninjas won't last ten seconds in a fight against Voldemort.'_

_

* * *

_

_--Back in Konoha--_

Tsunade sat at her desk, signing the limitless flow of documents which required her personal verification. It was days like this which made her wonder why she ever agreed to be Hokage.

"What's this?"

She'd found a strange envelope, wedged between two pieces of paper. Putting aside how it got there Tsunade ripped it open, and beheld green writing written in a slanting fashion and in what seemed to be an extremely strange language. Suddenly, the writing began moving across the page before her very eyes and Tsunade had to stifle a shriek as it began reforming itself into a combination of Hiragana, Katakana, and Kanji.(1)

Holding the letter at arms length as though it may explode, Tsunade read the letter.

_Dear Hokage of Konoha,_

_We of the wizarding community rarely if ever will communicate with the members of the ninja villages, however, in this case, we will ask to be treated like an client, for we are in seek of a service in which we hope we can employ some of your ninja for a mission covering a duration of one year. _

_We require some of your best ninja in order to protect Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and specifically a boy called Harry Potter. Please know, that this mission will be extremely dangerous, and may involve your ninjas coming into contact/ conflict with one of the most powerful dark wizards of present time._

_If you choose to accept this mission, please just say so to the letter, and I shall know of your reply. I will be willing to pay however much is necessary for your best ninja._

_Yours sincerely, Albus Dumbledore_

Tsunade's eyes were popping at the 'however much is necessary' bit, and had already decided just on this scrap of information to accept. Hesitantly, she spoke out clearly 'I accept'. With a flash, the letter in her hands suddenly changed into a different document which on closer inspection seemed to contain more details about the mission.

She grinned. _'I know just who to call for this mission.'_

"Shizune! Call Uzumaki Naruto, Haruno Sakura, and Uchiha Sasuke here at once!"

* * *

"EHH?! 'BACHAAN YOUR SENDING US AWAY FOR A YEAR?!"

Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura were now assembled in Tsunade's office, still in the casual wear they'd been wearing earlier. Naruto was pissed that Tsunade would even _think_ about sending him away from a year. Sakura on the outside seemed calm, but on the inside…"**SHANNARO! A WHOLE YEAR? A WHOLE YEAR?!"** Sasuke's exterior remained as emotionless and impassive as ever, but he too was curious as to what would cause their separation from home for a year.

Tsunade winced and then took her fingers out of her ears. "Shut up, listen, and don't call me that."

The three kids in front of her exchanged glances, clearly wondering if Tsunade had drunk too much sake again. But they dared not question her. Especially if she _had_ had sake.

Naruto made a pouting face but stayed quiet.

_"**Kit, what's going on?"**_

_'Oh. Ya feeling better? Whats going on is that we're about to be sent overseas for FREAKING 12 MONTHS!"_

_"**WHAT?!"**_

Tsunade entwined her fingers together and rested her chin upon them, surveying them majestically from her brown eyes. "I have received a mission request from the magical community. Now don't say anything", she added as Naruto opened his mouth to exclaim. "I know what you're going to say. No such thing as magic right? Well you're wrong. There is, and you're going to have the pleasure of spending one year in their midst. This is a protection mission and you will be spending your time at a school called Hogwarts, which teaches magical education. Don't worry, I'm not making you take classes. You will be protecting this school, looking out especially for a gaki called Harry Potter. He's 15, so only one year younger than you guys. I've also heard that he's quite talented in terms of his magic, but the enemy is a wizard much, much more powerful. It is this wizard, and his followers whom are your enemies. You will do whatever it takes to protect your clients. Killing included. I also believe torture will be alright for extracting information" _Evil Grin_

As the three exploded into questions, Tsunade chucked a piece of tightly furled parchment at them. Sasuke caught it in his left hand and slit it open with a single swipe of his finger. The other two leaned over his shoulder to get a better view. One look told them it had not been written by Tsunade - it was written by one of excellent penmanship, something which Tsunade was _not_ profficient in.

The person who'd wrote it had thought of everything, from how they'd be enchanted to speak their language to a sketch of the school grounds. Impressive.

Sakura cleared her throat as she finished reading and asked "Master, when will be leaving?"

Tsunade looked at her calendar and flipped one of the flaps. " Well, their school term starts in September on the 1st.. so you will be leaving tomorrow".

"WHAT?!?!"

* * *

They walked together down the street torwards their respective apartments. They had a lot to do tonight. Pack, clean up the house...they didn't want to come back home and find an inch of dust on top of everything.

At a crossway, they stopped.

"To think we won't see this place for a year" Sakura said sadly.

Naruto nodded agreement, his blue eyes downcast.

Silence for a moment.

Sasuke made a little cough in his throat.

"Ahh well!" Naruto said loudly, trying to cheer everyone up. "We'll still have each other! And i'll make obaachan write every week."

The other two smiled at him.

"Well. I'll meet you guys here tomorrow."

They turned their different ways, and walked away from each other.

* * *

_--The next day at Kings Cross--_

The Konoha trio stood on the platform at Kings Cross, desperately looking for platform nine and three quarters. They had on them a genjutsu which hid their normal attire and ANBU gear, at the same time slightly blurring their usual features. Naruto's hair was shorter and his normal, sparkling blue eyes had changed to amber. His whisker marks were gone. Sakura had changed her hair to brown and extended it to her waist. Sasuke had given himself some glasses and changed his hair blue. People walking past would just see three extremely noisy teenagers.

"GIVE IT HERE TEME! YOU MUSTA GOT US ONTO THE WRONG PLATFORM! HECK, YOU PROBABLY GOT US ONTO THE WRONG STATION!" Naruto hoisted his duffel bag higher onto his shoulder and began impatiently stalking the station.

"NARUTO!!" Sakura was not happy...she flexed her fingers dangerously. " YOU WILL PUT A SOCK IN IT RIGHT NOW, BEFORE I PUNCH YOU SO HARD YOU'LL HAVE TO BE SENT BACK TO TSUNADE!!"

Ignoring the raucous, Sasuke held the tickets in one hand and a map in the other. Frowning, he turned it around so that they could see as well. "There's nothing about platform nine and three quarters on this map. I asked the guy over there before but he seemed to think I was joking."

Naruto growled and turned around and surveyed the platform. Gaggles of people everywhere, a train pulling up on platform 9, one leaving on platform 10…where the hell was the stupid platform?! It was then that a brick wall some meters away from him caught his attention. He squinted at it and then narrowed his eyes. "Neh, guys? Do you notice something strange about that brick wall?"

Sakura and Sasuke looked and Sakura, being the genjutsu expert, nodded. "Your right. There seems to be a high amount of charka concentrated in that wall. It's almost a genjutsu, but not quite."

Sasuke nodded. "Lets check it out".

Grabbing their bags, they walked towards the wall. Naruto reached out a hand and touched the brick. His hand went straight through without any resistance.

"Wah…?" He quickly pulled it back out. Somehow, he didn't think the people on the platform would react positively to a person's hand disappearing through a brick wall.

"That must be the way in" Sasuke said.

"We'll go through on three" said Sakura. "_Subtly_. 1…2…3!"

They walked casually through the brick and on the other side, they beheld a beautiful scarlet train labeled 'Hogwarts Express'. Being ninjas from an ancient village, such technology was not usually seen by them. They gaped like fish out of water.

A whistle blew somewhere in the distance. Sasuke snapped out of it first. "Come on, we better hurry and get on"

They hurriedly made their way onto the train, at the same time dropping their genjutsu. In a poof of smoke they reappeared in their gear and ANBU masks. Naruto's a fox, Sasuke's a wolf and Sakura's an eagle. They swirled in elaborate design, brilliant red against the bone white porcelain.

Their ANBU gear basically consisted of an almost all black outfit. The guys wore black three-quarters, and black tanks. On top of the tank was the armor of white worn by all ANBU. They wore fingerless black gloves, and had black laced boots which reached almost up to their knees. Sakura wore much like her normal outfit except it was black, and she too had the white armor on over it. She wasn't wearing her gloves at this particular moment. All three had a red tattoo on their left arm, featuring a swirl which symbolised their membership in ANBU.

Their kunai and shuriken pouches were all too visible, strapped onto each of their legs. Most noticeable and unnerving of all would be the katana tied onto their backs with fine red string. Their katana were long and slender, Sakura's one being shorter than the guys'.

As they made their way down the train, many whispers came from the students sitting in the carriages. The sharp hearing of the ANBU enabled them to hear exactly what they were saying.

"Who are they? They look strange."

"Death Eaters!"

"No, don't be stupid! Besides, the tattoo isn't right."

Beneath their masks they gave quizzical looks. Death Eaters? They'd have to ask that Dumbledore later.

They finally came to a compartment which was not bursting like all the rest. Within this one there was only 3 people. Naruto opened the compartment door, and they filed in.

* * *

Harry snapped up and then withdrew his wand from his jeans. Strange people were entering the compartment - they had on masks, masks which looked none too friendly.

"Who are you?" he asked rudely.

Sasuke was the one to answer. Eyeing the wand, he spoke. "We have been hired to protect your school for the duration of the year. If you don't mind, our jobs would be much more easier if our clients were to not attack us. With your permission we shall stay in this compartment. We won't disturb you, if you won't disturb us." _'Lucky that Dumbledore guy did that jutsu on us. Otherwise I won't know what this kid's saying. This language feels so strange…'._

Naruto laughed. "Way to make friends teme."

"Straight back at you loser". The two then entered into a staring contest. It seemed pretty pointless to Harry, because they both wore masks. Naruto was grinning though. "Hehe, I'm as tall as you are now." It was true. Over the years he'd grown dramatically so that he could now look Sasuke eye-to-eye without having to stand up straighter.

Harry lowered the wand, but not by much._ 'So these are the so called ninjas Professor Dumbledore hired. They look menacing enough, but that's nothing. If it were up to looks, they'd be but cute little babies compared to Voldemort'._ He noticed they hadn't asked his name or recognized who he was. _'Well, it'd be good to have some people who won't be staring holes into the back of my head.'_ Little did he know that was exactly what they had been hired to do.

"You can stay. Not like anyone else is gonna come in anyway." He sat back down and tried his best to distract himself from their presence.

Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura sat themselves on one side of the compartment and Harry and his two friends stayed on the other. Naruto noticed that one of the boys was holding a strange plant in one hand, and a toad in the other.

"Hey. So you have an affinity for toads too huh?" The kid just looked confused.

Sakura elbowed him in the ribs and spoke in a whisper - "Don't you remember what shishou said? They have a different branch of chakra to us. They can't summon for one thing, and they channel theirs through that stick they call a wand. And besides, that's just a normal toad- it can't even talk."

While this exchange was happening Harry, Neville, and Luna had begun talking (Hermione and Ron are prefects k? So they're patrolling train).

"…this plant is really rare! Mimbulus Mimbletonia. Its got an excellent defense mechanism!"

Naruto rolled his eyes at the ceiling. '_Nerd'._

Everyone in the carriage watched as Neville pulled out a quill and poked the plant with it. Hard.

Suddenly, stuff spurted out everywhere. Foul, sticky, brown stuff. Neville, Harry, and Luna found themselves drenched in Stinksap from head to toe. Harry spurted a mouthful out.

Neville blinked from beneath a thick sheen of the stuff. "Ahh, sorry about that, pressed too hard".

Harry shook his head then smiled. "Don't worry about it".

He looked around to where the ninja were…should have been…weren't.

_'Huh?'_

"That was close." The voice came from…above?!

Harry looked up, and almost fell backwards in shock. Neville and Luna followed suit.

Luna pointed a quivering finger at them. "...It's...It's..."

The three ninja were hanging by their feet _upside down _from the ceiling! "wha" Harry spluttered. In one graceful movement they were back on the floor. Harry goggled. _'OK…maybe they might be a bit more special than I thought.'_

Naruto grinned beneath his fox mask. "Hey kid, you might like to get yourself cleaned up. That stuff smells pretty darn awful".

Muttering, Harry took out his wand and said "Scourgify." Instantly, all Stinksap disappeared from the compartment.

It was now all three of the ninjas turns to goggle.

* * *

The rest of the train ride passed in relative silence. The Konoha three were tired as a result of travelling from Konoha, and so took turns to sleep and keep watch. Long after the sun had gone down Harry talked to Sasuke, who was currently on watch.

"You might want to wake them. We're almost there".

Sasuke nodded and then prodded his comrades gently. Naruto looked groggily up at him. "Uh..sup?"

"We're almost there apparently so get ready dobe. We're about to see our home for the next year".

Naruto grumbled at him but woke Sakura up as well and then got up and pulled a long black cloak around him, tying it at his neck.

As the train turned around the hill and wound its way through a town called 'Hogsmeade', Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura felt their jaws drop. In front of them was a structure colossal in size, and looking absolutely regal. Addressing Harry, Sakura asked "Is that Hogwarts".

Harry smiled, proud. "Sure is. Welcome to Hogwarts." He'd missed it over the Summer, with its secret passageways, enchanted environment, and overall, that feeling he had whenever he was there. That feeling of being at home.

The train came to a complete halt in front of a huge lake. The three got off the train and followed the crowd of students to some carriages waiting for them. Kids all around were pointing and talking shamelessly about them now. Obviously, they didn't yet know why they were there. Annoyed, Naruto walked faster, leaping to the head of the group in a single jump. The kids around him looked in shock and scattered away from him.

As they approached the carriages Naruto froze up. Standing in front of each carriage were some of the most freaky creatures he'd ever seen - so skeletal and horrific that he vaguely wondered were they alive. Other students just walked past them as if they weren't there. Not wanting to appear scared, Naruto briskly continued walking, careful to not look at the walking skeletons.

He got on a carriage with all the same people who'd been in the train compartment and the carriages began to slowly snake their way up towards the huge boar flagged gates.

* * *

Ok. This chapter actually used to be 2 different ones, but since they were so short, i compressed them into one and chucked away the other chapter. I hope this doesn't cause confusion.

1. Hiragana, Katakana and Kanji are the Japanese alphabets used.

Next Chapter - First impressions can mean a lot. So what are Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura doing scaring the students out of their wits?


	3. AUTHORS NOTE

AUTHORS NOTE!!!

I'd compressed chapters 2 and 3 together because they were so short, but then this ended up destroying the order of the reviews and everything because the numbers were all wrong. Therefore, this is being stuffed in as a substitute chapter 3 so that the orders will be alright. Sorry everyone.

But anyway, I shall take this opportunity to say that I'm extremely happy with the number of reviews, and I'm also flattered by the number of times my story has been added to favorites . Thank You all for supporting, and I love you!!


	4. Meeting the students of Hogwarts

OK. This took me ages. I hope you enjoy this. Since ive only received one suggestion for a pairing, and that so happened to be sasunaru, i shall start hinting at that until some people override me. Enjoy, and please review!

" "- talking

' '- thinking

**" "- kyuubi/inner sakura talking**

* * *

Naruto was extremely impressed as he walked into the castle. 

"Wow. Can't believe this is going to be our home for a year".

Sasuke and Sakura nodded their agreement, as they followed Harry's group towards two gigantic oak doors. It was at this moment that a man appeared before them with a billowing of his black robes. He looked his crooked nose down at them and sneered, unimpressed.

" Welcome _ninja_ to Hogwarts." He spoke in a long drawn out voice that annoyed them as soon as they heard it. "I am Severus Snape, potions master of Hogwarts. The headmaster awaits you in his office. Follow me. You would not want to get lost in these magical pathways."

With another swish of his robes, Snape turned on his heel and strode down a corridor on the right. They followed him and reached a huge gargoyle statue. 'How ugly', they all simultaneously thought. Snape said "Fizzing Whizbee" and the gargoyle before them moved aside to reveal a spiraling staircase. The man stood to the left, clearly expecting them to enter.

They stepped onto the moving staircase, while behind them, Snape snickered and walked back to the Great Hall.

'Damm him', thought Naruto. 'He better watch out, or he won't know what hit him'. Grin.

At the top of the staircase was a door set with beautiful mosaics and elaborate glass art. Before Naruto could knock on this door, a voice from within called out "Enter"

Naruto opened the door, and they entered.

Inside, they had to stop themselves from fainting. How to describe the room? It was filled with countless animated objects, and everywhere they looked, there would be movement. A strange sparkling basin there, a smoke billowing trinket here, and all kinds of wonders. A beautiful bird of golden and red plumage sat on a perch near the doorway, cooing softly at their entrance. There was so much movement, that it took them awhile to find the man who had spoken.

An elderly man with half-moon glasses and an extremely long white beard smiled at them, and spread his arms open in welcome. "Greetings. Welcome to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I thank you for making the long journey here, and even more for accepting this mission whilst knowing all the risks that would come with it. My name is far too long, and so, you may simply name me as Professor Dumbledore."

Sasuke was the one to step forward. Avoiding the purple smoke coming from a strange statue, he bowed to Dumbledore. "Greetings Professor Dumbledore, from us and from our leader, the Godaime Hokage. I am Sasuke Uchiha, this is Naruto Uzumaki and she is Sakura Haruno. We are happy to be at your school for this year, and we will do our best to protect your school. We swear it upon our honor as shinobi."

With the end of his sentence, he, Naruto and Sakura all placed their hands on their masks, and slipped them from their faces. Naruto grinned his fox-like grin, straightened his Konoha band on his forehead and then gave an almost mocking bow. Sakura smiled sheepily. Sasuke's face was emotionless.

All three of them laughed inside when they saw Dumbledore's eyes widen for a split second in shock, before he recomposed himself. "You are all extremely young. To be at such an age, and to have been through so much…it is remarkable, but at the same time –forgive me for saying- also somewhat tragic."

Naruto laughed heartily. " We are a year older than Harry Potter, whom you said in your letter had evaded death countless times, and whom was also especially talented. We have been trained since childhood in our ways, just as the people of your world have been trained to accept magic as second nature. We have our traditions, and you have yours. There is nothing tragic about our culture. At least, not to us."

Dumbledore once again gave his serene smile. " Wise words Uzumaki. I daresay you are much more mature that you let on. I have arranged that you shall be sleeping in the headquarters of Harry, this being the Gryffindor rooms. Your belongings have already been transported there. However, before you leave for your rooms, I would ask that you go to the Great Hall and give a brief self-introduction to all the students. Many of them I would believe, are already extremely excited at seeing you on the train, and it would be best to let them know why you are here."

Remembering the train, Naruto spoke up. " When we were on the train, some students referred to us as Death Eaters."

"Ahh. Well, with your masks, you do bear a distinct resemblance to them. They are the servants of Voldemort, and are amongst those enemies whom I am trusting you to guard the school from. They also wear masks, though they are plain white, nowhere near as beautiful as yours. Now, tarry not! We must make our way to the Great Hall, where a feast and start of term speeches await!"

* * *

The great hall was alive with chatter, almost all of it concerning the mysterious guards. Malfoy was sniggering. "They look ridiculous, what do they think they are."

The story about them standing on the ceiling had spread at normal Hogwarts standards, having been started by Luna.

Harry was feeling mutinous. The meeting with the guards had put him in a bad mood. He looked towards the teachers table, taking note that Dumbledore still hadn't arrived. To the left however, he could see a new teacher, frog-like in appearance, and wearing the most disgusting attire. She looked awfully familiar...

Ron followed his gaze. "Hey, she must be new Defence 'genst the Dark Arts teacher. Blimey…she doesn't look like she'd know how to curl her hair, let alone teach defence."

Hermione shushed him. "Don't judge people before you get to know them Ron! Honestly!"

Harry grinned at seeing his two friends acting like normal again, and then looked at the teacher's table again to see that Dumbledore was now seated.

McGonagall stood up, and tapped her spoon on the glass. "Quieten down, that is quite enough!" Casting a withering glare around the Hall, she waited until all voices had faded away. "Please welcome, our new Year 1 students!".

A line of tiny children filed into the Great Hall, many of them looking terrified. McGonagall sat the Sorting Hat down on the stool out the front. It opened its mouth at the brim and began to sing. Several first years shrieked, and the rest of the school laughed.

_Sorting Song_

Everyone clapped when it was finished, and McGonagall began calling out names from a long roll. The new students one by one went and sat down on the stool, put on the hat, and were sorted into either Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff or Slytherin.

Little did the people in the Hall know that above them hiding in the rafters, and camouflaged by the enchanted ceiling, were three people who surveyed all that was happening with interest.

Naruto was giddy, and was jumping around. "Did you see that hat sing? It sung!"

Sasuke looked at him half exasperated and half amused. "We saw dobe, now shut up and stop jumping before you fall." To his surprise, Naruto actually listened. He returned his gaze to the sorting down below. Sasuke shifted in his position where he was sitting leaning back against a rafter, one leg casually dangling down beneath him.

When the sorting had finished, Dumbledore stood up, and his voice echoed to all corners of the Hall. He gave his normal welcoming speech, passed on a message from Mr. Filch, and then, gave a speech regarding the return of Voldemort. Naruto noticed that many of the students had started muttering at this point, and giving Dumbledore looks as though he were mad.

A frog-like woman whom he assumed to be a teacher also looked extremely displeased, and proceeded to inform everyone of her opinion through an extremely boring speech. But Naruto could hear the true intentions of that speech. That woman was not loyal to Dumbledore. Once Umbridge had finished, Dumbledore took over once more.

"And now, please welcome three people who will be staying with us until the end of this school year. They have traveled far to come here, and will be taking on the most difficult job of guarding our school from Voldemort and his allies. They are Sasuke Uchiha, Naruto Uzumaki and Sakura Haruno. Please welcome the ninja of the Leaf!"

Naruto grinned. Showtime.

As the students in the Hall started twisting all around in attempts to see the guards, Naruto jumped down from the rafters. As he fell, he formed a blue sphere in his right hand.

"Futon: Spiraling Sphere!"

As girls screamed to see him falling, the sphere in his hand exploded forth to create a hurricane which swept through the Hall. Sasuke grinned (an extremely rare occurrence). He made several hand seals. "Chidori Discharge!". Chirping filled the room, and the students sat in awe and fear as around them, there occurred a violent thunderstorm. It almost seemed as though they were in the center of a tornado. They screamed even more as knives began flashing through the thunder, exploding so that a strange pink confetti began falling. This confetti in turn exploded into pink fireworks.

Covering his ears from the deafening noise, Harry winced through his teeth. _' Such power.'_

With a clash of thunder and a roar of wind, the typhoon was swept away to reveal the 3 ninjas standing next to Dumbledore out at the front. They had on their white masks, and everything about them radiated power. The katanas strapped to their backs, the armor, and even the style. Ron was pale with shock. " Blimey…didn't have to do that. I'm near fainting I am".

Harry was in much the same state. _'What was that? He held something in his hand, and it caused this. Was it magic?'_

All over the Hall, everyone was shouting and exclaiming. Dumbledore raised his hands, and they were silenced. "They will be patrolling our corridors and grounds, and will under no circumstances tolerate any behavior which may in any way prove to be a threat. If necessary, they would kill, and so I advise all here to stay on their good side. They have been trained to do so since childhood, and I hear they are also experts in torture." A collective shiver went around the room, and the students looked with renewed fear at the three figures.

Naruto could barely hold back his sadistic glee. 'Hahaha, im gona have fun this year'. He tried hard to keep his composure though. As a ninja, giving an impression of toughness was essential when controlling others.

"**What are you so happy about kit".**

'You up for some fun neh, Kyuubi?'

Naruto could feel in his mind the satisfaction of the Kyuubi as it saw what was going on.

" **Aww kit, you're going to drive those humans insane. I feel sorry for them****."**

Naruto snapped out of his internal conversation, and found himself being dragged to the Gryffindor table by Sakura. " Huh, what are we doing Sakura-chan?"

"Eating obviously. And we should find out who Harry Potter is. After all, we're going to have to be keeping an eye on him."

She seated Naruto down next to the boy that they'd sat with on the train, and then sat herself down next to him. Sasuke sat on her other side.

Naruto turned to the boy. " Hello. Hajimemashite. I'm Naruto Uzumaki."

Harry returned the greetings. "I'm Harry Potter".

Beneath his mask, his blue eyes narrowed. So this was the kid. He looked at Sasuke and Sakura to see whether they had heard. They had. Sasuke was now staring at Harry, analyzing everything about him with his Sharingan. 'He seems to be in an alright physical state. His charka reserves are certainly higher than the majority of people here. Nothing compared to us though. We shall see sooner or later what power he has'.

Harry just stared back at them. He was finally forced to look away though. He couldn't stand those masks, with the horrific designs. Especially that fox one. It grinned like crazy and looked evil and mocked him. Instead, he settled to looking at them out of the corner of his eye. He knew from their voices that they were not at all old, and he was curious to see their faces. Many of the other students were feeling the same, some of the Ravenclaws nearby even standing up to get a better view as the ninjas began to take off their masks.

But the Konoha ninja were not about to let them see their true faces, oh no. Sakura quickly cast a genjutsu around them, and when their masks were taken off, all that the other students could see was…another mask.

KABAAM. Everyone fell down anime style, as the ninjas began helping themselves to food. The ninjas were delighted to find that food from their own culture had been included in the feast.

Naruto was especially happy when he realized he wouldn't have to live for one year without ramen as he'd originally thought.

Harry hesitantly took a sushi roll, and dipped it in a HUGE amount of wasabi (1). He put it in his mouth. Naruto smirked, waiting for the explosion.

"WAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!! HOT!!!!!!!!!!" Harry leaped up and grabbed the entire jug of water, pouring it into his mouth gallons at a time. Ron and Hermione were laughing their heads off, as was the rest of the school. Harry returned to his seat, flaming red with embarrassment. Naruto whispered to him "Smart move."

* * *

After the feast, the students began walking to their dormitories. Harry asked Naruto "Where will you guys be staying?" 

"We're going to be staying in the Gryffindor dormitories this year. Therefore, the same as you."

Harry's eyes glazed over for a second. _' Professor Dumbledore's even got them tailing me when I sleep?!'_

Hermione smiled at them. " We'll show you the way then".

Sasuke waved it off. "No need. We already saw where it was. We'll see you up there".

With a poof, they disappeared. Hermione stepped back several paces and spluttered. "They apparated! They apparated here! That's impossible!"

"They have a knack for doing impossible things" said Harry. "They were walking upside down on the train before".

Hermione and Ron stared at him, then they all shook their heads. This was going to be a long year.

_--__Up in the dormitories--_

Naruto took his mask off. It was only them three in the common room, and he was eager to get some fresh air. His blonde locks flicked around as he spoke. "Hey, I'll take the shift tonight. You guys get some rest. I'll send a toad or a kage bunshin to get you if anything happens." He replaced his mask, walked over to the window of the tower, and jumped out, just as some 4th year girls came in through the portrait hole.

They screamed and ran over to the window. "Omigod he fell out the window! This is the highest tower, he can't survive that!". Sakura went over and soothed them. "Don't worry he's fine. See? He's already walking."

And it was true. The girls stared in disbelief as the blonde straightened himself up, and began walking as if he hadn't just fallen over 100 meters.

When they looked back to the common room, Sakura and Sasuke had already disappeared up the stairs to the dorms. The girls looked at eachother, creeped out, then hurried up to their own dorms.

Up in the boys room, Sasuke was mauling things over. Even though he didn't show it, he was happy now that Naruto had got over his earlier gloominess. The blonde idiot was the only thing in the world who could make him reveal his emotions. He was now the closest person to him of all. For him he would die, and he knew Naruto would do the same for him.

As he heard the sound of Harry and Ron making their way up the staircase to the room, he drew the curtains of the four poster bed around him. Only then did he remove his mask away from prying eyes, and settled down for a good night's sleep.

* * *

1. Wasabi- Extremely hot as well as extrememly foul green dipping for sushi and sashimi. Try it, i dare you. 

Next chapter will come in around 2 days. It should be longer than this one. Do you guys think the chapters are too short? Well sayonara for now


	5. The ANBU VS the Golden Trio

Long Chapter! I know i said 2 days, but this one was almost finished, so i decided to work into the night. Enjoy

" "- talking

' '- thinking

**" "- Kyuubi/Inner Sakura**

* * *

**_--Chapter Five--_**

**_--The ANBU VS the Golden Trio--_**

The next morning when Harry finally stirred in the first rays coming through the window, the ninjas had all already left Gryffindor Tower. He grabbed Ron's hand and peered at the time. _'4:30?! What time do these crazy people get up?!'_

Ron groaned and without raising his read from his pillow, pulled his hand back. "Wha' are you doing Harry? I's a weekend. More sleep, please!"

However, Harry had other plans in mind. Being naturally suspicious and often much too curious for his own good, he had already formulated his stupid idea for the day. "Lets go and see what the ninja are doing."

Suddenly fully awake, Ron bolted straight up in his bed with eyes wide. "Are. You. Crazy?! They're maniacs! And you wanna actually go _towards_ those maniacs?!"

"Come on Ron! I'll let you go on my Firebolt later?"

"Deal!"

They got dressed and sneaked out of the dorm. Miraculously Seamus, Neville and Dean were all still snoozing away. On the way down the stairs they knocked on the girl's door. It opened a crack to reveal bushy brown hair and sleepy brown eyes. "Hey Hermione", whispered Harry "We're going outside to check out what the guards are up to. Coming?"

"Oh, yes. I'll be there in a minute, wait for me in the common room." And she slammed the door shut on them.

_10 minutes later_

Ron tapped his foot impatiently and then asked Harry "Why is it girls always say something, then it turns out they always mean something different?"

"Beats me. Tell me when you figure it out. I want to know too."

Finally, Hermione arrived. "'Bout time!" chorused Harry and Ron.

They clambered out the portrait hole, and went down to the Great Hall. Already there were some Senior students lounging around playing Wizard's chess, Gobstones, or otherwise chatting about their holidays. The ghosts seemed to be having a little congregation in one corner.

A quick look around told them the guards weren't in the Hall. They walked out the huge doors and began searching the school grounds. After going past Hagrid's Hut and the Whomping Willow they finally caught sight of the ANBU. They were next to the lake, casually talking. They hadn't noticed them yet. However, a few steps closer yielded yet another shock for the trio. Sakura was sitting on the grass, but the two boys…they were standing ON the lake. Harry shook his head, willing his eyes to show him the truth. But when he stopped and looked once more, they were still standing on the lake.

* * *

Naruto yawned loudly, then proceeded to sit down on the lake surface. Sasuke followed suit so that the three of them were now sitting in a little cozy triangle. Naruto started tracing patterns onto the lake surface, sending spirals in every direction. He was wearing his black and orange jacket over his ANBU outfit, insisting that it had gotten cold the previous night.

"Did everything go alright last night Naruto?"

"Yeh. I explored the castle and the forest over there while I was at it. You wouldn't believe the number of passageways that place has! I almost got lost."

"Admit it dobe, you got lost."

Naruto 'hmphed' then stretched. He winced as he felt the tightness in his biceps and forearms. "My muscles are so sore. I gotta train before I get rusty. Wanna spar Sasuke?"

"Fine." Truth was, Sasuke really wanted to spar with Naruto. He was starting to miss those sessions back in Konoha where they'd go for hours at a time just attacking each other. Sakura sometimes joined in too, but she much preferred to watch. And to pick up their bodies when they knocked each other out. She was much more weaker than them when it came to taijutsu and ninjutsu but her extreme charka control and intelligence allowed her to excel in areas which made up for where her other skills failed her.

"Taijutsu only for now. Weapons allowed."

At current time Naruto and Sasuke were almost at exactly the same level. However, when Sasuke brings out his Mangekyou, and Naruto taps into Kyuubi's chakra, it is no longer possible to tell.

Naruto and Sasuke walked out further onto the lake, and then got into their favorite taijutsu stances. Naruto had one leg in front of the other and he leaned forward, one hand daring Sasuke to bring it on. Sasuke got into a stance where he was bent so low that he was almost crouching on the water, his right hand in front, and his left behind his back.

Naruto turned to the shoreline and yelled out "Would you like to call start Sakura-chan?"

Sakura sighed then stood up. "You two better not beat each other up too badly!"

From the pouch on her right thigh she took a kunai. Attached to it was the seal which enabled her signature move, Cherry Blossom Shower. She crouched, then jumped high into the air. She expertly threw the kunai at the water between Naruto and Sasuke and before it could hit the water, she intercepted it with a second kunai which didn't have a seal. "START!" A huge shockwave traveled across the water as the pink pieces of paper began exploding, falling like petals.

Like usual, Naruto initiated the battle. Faster than the human eye could see he sped forward in a burst of water and spray. Sasuke's eyes span as he activated his normal three point Sharingan. He wouldn't use the Mangekyou on Naruto. Not for a spar anyway. He intercepted a punch coming from Naruto on his left and then returned one. Naruto dodged by flipping backwards and then leaped into the sky. He let loose a volley of shuriken at Sasuke, who nimbly side stepped and then threw some of his own.

Naruto caught them all – 6 in total – on his fingers on his downward fall. Landing on the water, he ran at breakneck speed at Sasuke. He chucked the shuriken, and then in a flash appeared behind Sasuke. Sensing Naruto behind him Sasuke spun around. He and Naruto then exchanged punches, kicks and attacks so fast that Harry, Hermione and Ron watching from their hidden spot were starting to feel dizzy. _'Are they human?!'_ was all they could think.

Each boy then withdrew the katana from its sheath strapped to their back. The katana had black handles, and blades engraved with swirling patterns and tinted hues. Naruto's blade was tinted a bright red, shimmering metallic in the sunlight. Sasuke's was a navy shade, dark and reflective. In a flash, the metallic 'clang' of metal on metal could be heard and the two fought to overpower the other. The blades caught at the middle and their faces almost met as they swung around. As Sasuke looked at Naruto's fox mask he could see the bright blue orbs sparkling through the slits of his mask. He felt himself falter as they caught him in their gaze. _'I'm lucky he's wearing his mask. He's face and eyes can be such a distraction...'_ Seconds later, he mentally slapped himself. _'Heck?! Where'd that come from?!'_ The momentum of their move swung them apart once more, but only for a moment. Before Harry could discern what had happened Naruto and Sasuke's katanas were sheathed, and they had returned to punching and kicking.

A few seconds later Naruto and Sasuke were blown several feet apart by a rather nasty impact. Naruto put one hand on the water to slow himself down, and Sasuke did the same.

Sasuke now had a bloody lip and there was a cut bleeding freely on Naruto's arm through his orange and black jacket. Both had several scratches and bruises all over.

With a low growl Naruto chucked his jacket aside. He raised his hands and placed them together in front of his chest " And now…ninjutsu!" His fingers blurred as he went through his seals at top speed. Wind element.

_'Crap!'_ though Sasuke.

"Futon: Wind Senbon!" Needles materialized out of thin air and hovered in the air around Naruto, reminding Sasuke of the ice needles that Haku had used. However, these were much more dangerous. Being of the wind element, they could cut through and severe anything.

"Go!" The needles began to speed through the air towards Sasuke.

Sasuke whirled through his own signs. Fire was strong against wind. "Katon: Fire Serpent!"

A fiery snake of fire streaked its way through the air towards the needles. Upon impact, flames spiraled upwards as both attacks were cancelled out.

Harry looked in awe. The things they could do without a wand! He had to agree, these people were powerful. He wasn't sure if they'd be able to match up against Death Eaters, but there was no denying they were strong.

Then he decided something extremely rash. He wanted to test himself against these people.

Before Hermione or Ron could grab him he'd streaked down the hill from their hiding spot. Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura turned around as Harry stopped in front of them. Catching his breath, he looked at them firmly and stated " I challenge you." The three ninja stared.

Ron and Hermione had now also reached them and couldn't help but groan at Harry's eagerness to prove himself. It was becoming quite a bad habit. Naruto walked up to Harry and then stood so that they were eye to eye. They were approximately the same height. Naruto looked into Harry's bright green eyes. Harry didn't even flinch. He saw the determination there and also...something familiar. He reminded him of Sasuke.

He smiled beneath his mask. "Fine. We accept. There are 3 of us, so 3 separate battles. You can use your magic, we can use our chakra. There are no rules." He turned his back on them and walked calmly back to the other two.

Hermione and Ron spluttered about how they hadn't agreed to this, but they stopped eventually. Harry was their friend, and they knew that even if Harry _had_ asked them to help, they would have done so willingly. So instead, they took their wands out, drew their sleeves up, and looked grimly at their opponents.

Sakura and Sasuke however, were a bit more expressive of their opinions. They both punched him from either side, sending him flying backwards a few feet. He went through the water surface this time, also thoroughly soaking the rest of the group. "Naruto omai baka! We're suppose to be guarding them, not fighting them!"

Naruto placed one hand on the water surface and hoisted himself out so that he was sitting. "But Sakura-chan, by doing this, they can have a bit of practice, and we can learn more about their magic. If we're going to defend this school against wizards it only makes sense that we know how they fight neh?" He stood up and vainly began trying to squeeze the water out of his hair. The wizards noticed for the first time Naruto's hair was actually slightly tinged red. It looked natural on him though.

Sasuke nodded thoughtfully. "He's right for once. This experience might prepare us, and its important that we are prepared for whatever the enemy may have in store for us."

Once Naruto had recovered (only took a minute thanks to Kyuubi), the two trios faced off. The ANBU stood on the water and the wizards and witch took their wands out on the shore. Naruto was facing Harry, Sasuke faced Ron, and Sakura was opposite Hermione. A cold wind blew through them, and they vaguely noticed that a large number of students had emerged from the school and were now watching them from the lawn.

"And now", exclaimed Naruto " we begin!"

Harry tensed, preparing himself for Naruto's speed. However, to his surprise Naruto just stood there. Far from doing anything, Naruto just folded his arms and looked calmly at Harry.

"What are you doing?" Harry asked. He was confused.

"A ninja does not attack until they know what it is they are attacking, and the exact scenario they are in." said Naruto. "Since I haven't seen any of your magic yet, I shall allow you to make the first move. You have 5 shots. Then, it will be my turn."

Harry snarled at Naruto's cockiness. Pulling the sleeves of his own robes up, he brandished his wand like a sword. "Expelliarmus!" A line of red shot out of the end of Harry's wand. Naruto lazily moved his head a few inches to the left, and yawned. "1"

Harry was infuriated. He was mocking him! He would've charged at Naruto were it not for the fact that Naruto was standing out on the lake. Naruto seemed to hear Harry's thoughts. "How about I make it a bit more fairer for you." All Harry saw was a faint shudder, and Naruto had disappeared. '_What…?'_

"Here." Harry whipped around to see that Naruto was now standing on the hill that he had previously been hiding behind. The unruly blonde hair was flying around the fox mask as though there'd been a gust. The students nearby were pointing and exclaiming and he noticed girls had begun swooning at Naruto. _'Well. At least he's getting that problem off my back'._ Harry waved his wand once again.

Nearby, Sasuke had decided that he would take the initiative to start. With a single leap, he was behind Ron. Squealing and trying to get out of the way, Ron stumbled and tripped over his own robes, landing on his backside. Sasuke took this moment to take a look at how Naruto and Sakura were going. Naruto was playing around with the Potter boy and Sakura was dodging spell after spell. Sasuke smirked and shook his head. These people didn't know what they'd gotten themselves into. It had surprised everyone back in Konoha when they'd first discovered that side of Naruto which enjoyed messing with people's minds. They assumed it was something he'd learnt off Kyuubi, and he was extremely skilled at it. He was somewhat sadistic sometimes, that kid, but Sasuke trusted that with these 3 it need not go anywhere close to that.

Sasuke frowned though, when he realized that Sakura wasn't returning any blows. Considering her temper she usually would've blasted the ground open by now. He looked at Hermione, and then his Sharingan caught what he'd missed earlier. The witch had set up a circular barrier around herself, almost 5 meters in diameter. Sakura's punches were just glancing off the barrier and with each miss she would slip and slide torwards the ground. Hermione would use the misses to her advantage and send spells at Sakura when her guard was down. Sakura would only just manage to avoid them. _'Well, that witch has some talent'_, he thought.

He felt a presence behind him and sighed. _'Wish i could say the same about this one.' _

"You know, its rude to attack people when they're thinking." He side stepped the punch Ron gave and then grabbed him by the wrist. With one swing, he chucked Ron into the lake. Sasuke was not one to fool around during battles. He preferred to finish them quickly. He watched coolly as Ron swum back to shore and called out. "A hint. If you're going to take advantage of someone being distracted, at least do something efficient. A long ranged attack just now would have been much more effective than close range." Ron glared.

He stood up on the water's edge and steadied himself. "Petrificus Totalus!" Sasuke pulled out a kunai and deflected the green stream of light right back at Ron. He watched with amusement as Ron froze up and fell down, as still as a plank of wood. He walked over to Ron and bent over him, placing his kunai at his throat. "Dead."

Sakura was starting to get frustrated. _'This is pointless. All that's going to happen is she's going to keep on shooting and I'm going to keep on dodging.'_ **"Shannaro!" **It was then a simple idea occurred to her.

Making a couple of hand signs where Hermione couldn't see them, Sakura whispered "Kawarami no Jutsu (Replacement Technique)."

Her true self was transported behind a tree, which just so happened to be positioned some feet away from Hermione. She watched as a spell hit her replacement, and Hermione gave a cry of triumph. Hermione lowered her defenses and walked towards Sakura's 'body'.

'NOW!' though Sakura. Leaping from her hiding place she released a charka enforced punch into the ground. Her substitution disappeared, and the entire hill exploded. All sweatdropped. Hermione only had time to give a small "Oh", before she was knocked unconscious by the force of the blow.

Naruto dodged yet another spell. "5. I told you I'd give you 5 chances only. It's over."

Naruto launched himself 10 feet into the air and took out 4 kunai. Faster than Harry could react, the kunai hit him and pinned him by his clothes to the floor. Following Sasuke's example, Naruto walked over to Harry and pressed another kunai to his throat. "Dead."

Silence fell over the crowd on the lawn. Then the whispers began.

"Did you see how effortless it was for them? Crazy…They don't even look tired!"

"That girl's strength is insane! She blew open the entire hill!"

"Aww they're so handsome and cool!"

As Naruto helped Harry up and Sakura set about healing Hermione and Ron, an angry voice rang out across the grounds. All eyes went up to see Umbridge coming down the stone steps and strutting towards them. In the blink of an eye the crowd had dissipated, leaving only the original 6 involved.

"What is going on here?! Potter, Granger and Weasley, what do you think you're doing fighting these muggles? And YOU! You are guards employed to _protect_ this school. You shall all follow me to the headmaster's office NOW."

The ANBU shook their heads in bewilderment, but followed Umbridge. Harry, Ron and Hermione tagged behind them.

At the stone gargoyle, the password had changed to 'Chocolate Frogs'. They all went up the staircase and entered the small office.

They were surprised to find that the room this time was almost free of any movement. Dumbledore sat at his desk, twiddling his thumbs and looking expectantly at them.

Umbridge straightened herself and spoke in a horrible, fake honeyed voice. "Albus, I insist that these _guards_ be removed from the school at once. They were attacking students! And I also believe punishment should be in order for _these_ 3, whom promptly engaged in fighting, thus endangering their fellow students!"

She folded her arms, waiting for Dumbledore's judgement.

Dumbledore raised one eyebrow. "My dear Dolores, surely there is nothing wrong with me wanting to test the capabilities of my employees?" He winked at them out of the corner of his eye, and they instantly caught on.

"Yes Professor", Hermione addressed Umbridge. "We were merely engaging in a friendly test of skill." Ron nodded his head frantically.

The ANBU stayed silent, deciding it would be better to leave the wizards to it.

After some rambling, and a lot of persuasion, Umbridge finally dropped it and stormed from the office. Once she was out of ear shot, Dumbledore turned his attention to the teens assembled before him.

Dumbledore chuckled. "Well then. Would you like to tell me the results of your _'friendly test of skill'_?"

* * *

Rate, Review!

Next chapter- Can Naruto and Harry become friends?


	6. A little talk

" "- talking

' '-thinking

**" "- kyuubi/inner sakura**

* * *

That night while the rest of the school was having dinner, Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura were relaxing in the Gryffindor Common Room, taking advantage of the peace to remove their masks and talk freely. Sakura took out a brush and began to pull it through her bright pink hair, and Naruto tried stitching up the cut in his jacket. Naruto + Needle equals world full of pain. 

Lifting his head up from his sewing, Naruto shook his head. "I thought we were gone when that toad came." Prick. "Ow."

Sasuke and Sakura agreed. "Did you get the message in her speech on the first day? She's obviously no ally of Dumbledore's."

"Yeah. She's definitely hiding something. We ought to pay attention from now on to what she's doing. And another thing, did anyone else think that those 3 today were awfully _unskilled_?" Stab. "Ouch!"

"That would depend on how you look at it dobe. It was only their speed. If those spells had connected, then they would have had the upper hand." Sasuke then stood up, grabbed his mask, and donned a cloak. "I'll take the shift tonight." With that note, he headed towards the portrait hole.

"Remember to tell us if anything happens, or I'll kick your ass! ITTAII!!". Naruto quickly stuffed his thumb in his mouth. He'd managed to stab himself with the needle again.

Sasuke gave his famous smirk, and vanished out the entrance.

_A few hours later_

Naruto lay backwards on his bed with the curtains drawn to hide him from his roommates. Around him he could hear their snoring and occasional movements. Harry in particular was squirming a lot. Naruto hazily wondered if he was having a nightmare.

All of a sudden, Harry bolted up in his bed, panting heavily. Naruto damm near died of a heart attack, it was that sudden. He opened the curtains a crack, to see that Harry had one hand clutching his forehead, and the other hand reaching for his glasses. Harry sat for awhile in silence, gazing at the moon outside.

Then with a quick glance at Naruto's bed, he slipped off his own and crept to the drawers which were on the wall opposite. Naruto saw him pull out a piece of parchment, and then a cloak made out of a strange multi-colored material, and watched with curiosity as he threw it over himself. He was surprised when Harry then promptly disappeared from view, however, he was still there as Naruto could still sense the faint presence of his chakra. Harry's presence started to fade as he opened the door, and started walking down the stairs towards the common room.

Naruto also got out of his bed and changed into his ANBU clothes. _'What are you doing? Sheesh. Guess I have no choice but to follow you…' _He grabbed his mask from the bedside table, and was gone.

He followed Harry like a shadow as he walked out the portrait hole, through the corridors, and up a flight of stairs which Naruto recognized as leading to the Astronomy Tower. At the top, Harry sat on the ledge of the tower and removed his invisibility cloak, sighing as he breathed in the fresh night and, let the wind ruffle his dark hair.

_'Stupid nightmare. Why does it keep on coming? And why does my scar hurt so much…?'_ He massaged his forehead angrily. Hagrid's hut entered his line of vision, and he gave yet another sigh. _'Hagrid…where are you? I miss seeing you around.'_Umbrdige was very snide about Hagrid, and had tried several times to find his wherabouts.

"And what do you think you're doing up here this time of night?"

Harry froze. He slowly turned to find the fox mask inches from his own face. Smothering a shriek, Harry turned back, trying to look as unfazed as possible. _'I won't let him intimidate me.'_ "I just wanted some fresh air. That's all." He glanced at the Maruader's Map, and cursed in his mind at how he couldn't have seen the dot that was 'Naruto Uzumaki'.

Naruto sat down next to Harry. He noticed that on the back of Harry's right hand the skin was raw red and scarred. "What happened to your hand?"

Harry shook his sleeve over it. "A foul bat", he muttered. Naruto narrowed his eyes and understood 'foul bat' to mean Umbridge. She and her strictness were really starting to get on his nerves. He'd never really liked the strict ones. _'I'll teach that woman a lesson.'_In his mind he began imagining scenarios of screaming, torture, and revenge. He whacked them out a moments later and turned his attention back to Harry.

"You know, you really should trust others more. Especially your friends. Do they know about those nightmares you've been having?"

Flinch. _'Crap! He knows!'_ He looked Naruto in what he believed were his eyes.

"It doesn't have anything to do with you. I barely know anything about you, and it's not like you know me that well either."

Naruto looked at him thoughtfully. "Well then. Let's reintroduce ourselves. My name is Naruto Uzumaki. Currently second strongest ninja in the village of Konoha, and the future Rokudaime Hokage." He stood up, and gave a bow.

Harry stood up and bowed as well, although his one was a bit mongulated. "I have no idea what you're on about. My name is Harry Potter. I strive to become an auror, and get rid of Voldemort once and for all. My home is Hogwarts and I dread the time I spend with my aunt, uncle and cousin under their roof." He said all of this calmly and coldly. His eyes showed that he was obviously reliving unpleasant memories in his mind.

Naruto noticed this behavior. _'He really reminds me of Sasuke. Another avenger.'_

They sat back down on the ledge, Naruto leaning his back on one stone pillar, and Harry leaning on the next one down.

Naruto leaned forward, and gazed at the ground far below. "So you're parents are dead too huh?"

Harry looked at him in revelation then nodded. _'He says it so casually.'_ "Do you miss them?" he asked Naruto.

"Naw. Can't miss what I've never had can I?" Naruto gave a little chuckle.

"Oh. I can't remember them either, but I know about them through…certain means". He was referring to his photo album, Lupin, as well as that time he'd seen his father and mother in the Pensieve. "And everyone tells me about them, and how great they were."

"Mm. My father was a great man too. He was also a Hokage. The Fourth. But I'll surpass him, as well as all the others." He gave Harry the thumbs up.

They talked long, for what seemed like hours. At this point, they were starting to feel the beginnings of a friendship.

Naruto voiced this opinion. "Well. I guess we're friends. And I don't hide anything from my friends." He stood up, Harry did the same, and with that, he cupped his mask in his hand, and removed it.

Harry's breath caught in his throat as he first laid eyes on Naruto's face. _'He looks like a prince!'_ The blonde hair tinged red framed the angled face. It accentuated the raised cheekbones and pointed chin. Brilliant blue eyes the color of the sky sparkled merrily, and a fox like grin played at the mouth. Strange whisker like scars adorned each cheek, almost symmetrical. And then it struck him how young Naruto looked. _'He can't be older than 16!'_

"How old are you?!"

Grin. "I am 16, one year older than you are." Harry gaped. "Is that all?!"

"Well, i'm turning 17 soon."

"Are Sasuke and Sakura this young as well?"

"Sure are. Sasuke's actually already 17 though." He stuck his tongue out. "Although we won't call this too young. We've been doing this stuff since we were 7. We only made ANBU recently though."

"You've been fighting and…killing? for so long? But doesn't it hurt you? Like...don't you feel bad afterwards?"

Naruto smiled sadly. "First few times I did, but now, no longer. It is the life of a ninja."

* * *

Sasuke nodded to the Grey Lady as she floated past him. Other than the spectral beings, the corridors were otherwise deserted.

Seeing there was nothing in the castle, Sasuke poofed from the dungeons to the roof of the school. He cast his eyes over the Forbidden Forest and Greenhouses. As he did so, two figures in the tower opposite- about 50 meters away- attracted his attention. His eyes widened when he realized it was Harry and Naruto talking, and he was even more shocked when he realized that Naruto was unmasked. _'Idiot!'_

He was about to leap and punch Naruto in the head, when he heard a question Harry asked. "So Sasuke once betrayed you?"

Sasuke froze up. His mind stopped working, and all his attention was focused on Naruto. His breathing halted, and he was filled with fear at what might come.

"No. He came back didn't he," snapped Naruto. "He's changed now, and he's one of the most important people to me. I trust him with my life, and upon my own head and honor I swear that he would never make that mistake again." Harry shifted uncomfortably at this sensitive topic.

Sasuke started breathing again. _'So he does trust me.'_ And deep inside, he was suddenly overflowing with happiness.

"No need to get riled up about it. What is he, your boyfriend?"

Both Naruto and Sasuke stopped breathing. Naruto panicked and completely overreacted, his mind going into overdrive. _'Ah, what?! Is it really that obvious?! Wait Naruto, calm down, he was joking. BREATHE! '._

**"Ooooooohh...a thing for the Uchiha eh?"** Kyuubi cackled in its cage.

_'Shut up!'_

Harry laughed at the look on Naruto's face.

Blushing heavily, he said "No." Sasuke watched somewhat disappointed. _'Well what were you expecting? It's not like he is your boyfriend.'_ He decided that he'd had enough of eavesdropping, and that it was about time he made himself known. With a poof, he appeared behind Naruto and Harry.

"Boo."

Harry jumped a foot into the air, while Naruto just laughed and punched Sasuke on the arm playfully. "Teme."

He had no idea at all that Sasuke had overheard he and Harry's conversation. Sasuke wanted to keep it that way. It would be a lovely way to show how much he could be trusted just after Naruto had defended him such.

Harry grabbed his Invisibility Cloak and shuffled to the stairs. "I'll be going back to bed now. Goodnight." Naruto and Sasuke waved him off, and watched him go down the staircase.

Naruto pulled his mask back on and leapt onto the very edge of the tower. "Since I won't be able to get to sleep now, I'll help ya. But you owe me one."

"Err...OK."

"Hey guess what Harry told me!! Apparently tomorrow there's a trip into that village we went past before, 'Hogsmeade'. They're all going, and we might as well go too!" Naruto teetered dangerously, and Sasuke had to restrain himself from going and pulling him back.

"S'pose."

Naruto stopped moving and began squinting."Hey…do you see that. Over there in the trees."

Sasuke looked at the trees and frowned. All he could see were the shadows. He activated his Sharingan and looked again. And then he saw it. A monster! A huge humanoid figure was stumbling its way out of the trees and towards the hut which had been empty since their arrival. Naruto and Sasuke nodded to each other, and in the blink of an eye were in front of the giant.

The giant reeled in shock and stepped backwards a few paces. "What in blazes…?"

Putting aside the fact that the monster could talk, Naruto quickly grabbed his arms and pulled them behind him, successfully locking them. As he began to struggle, Sasuke placed the tip of a kunai on his throat. "Who are you and what are you doing here?"

The giant stared at them. "Who are _yeh_ and what are you doing _here_?" They noticed that behind the bristly beard and beyond the wild mane of hair, the giant was also in the worst for wear. His clothes were ripped, and his face was covered with numerous bruises. It seemed that he had been traveling through tough country for days.

Sasuke pressed slightly so that a trickle of blood fell. "We are ANBU, employed by Albus Dumbledore to guard this school against all threats. Including intruders."

Hagrid then bellowed. "WELL LET GO OF ME THEN YER OAFS! I'M A TEACHER I AM!"

Naruto spoke up. "And what is a teacher doing at this time of night, walking out of the Forbidden Forest?" He was definately sounding extremely smug about something.

"I have no need ta explain myself to yeh. The only one who I answer to is Professor Dumbledore."

Naruto smirked, and then whispered in his ear. "I'm sure that giant of yours in there would enjoy us paying it a visit."

Hagrid's eyes widened, and Sasuke looked incredulously at Naruto._ 'What is he talking about?'_

On Naruto's first night shift, he had already investigated the Forest and discovered Grawp. He'd almost been squished underfoot too. He'd also already seen Hagrid, but decided not to divulge what he'd discovered to anyone until he saw any development in events. After all, the giant and his large friend had seemed gentle enough.

"Don't hurt Grawpy, please, he wunt hurt a fly!"

Naruto chuckled. "We know, we know. We're just messing with you." He released his hold on Hagrid's arms, and Hagrid sank to the floor.

"Blimey. You two…"

"We suggest you inform the headmaster immediately of your arrival. Dwelling here at this time of night will not do you any good."

And with a hand sign and a POOF of smoke the guards disappeared from sight.

* * *

They reappeared on the 4th floor, with Naruto laughing like crazy. "Did you see his face? He was so scared!" 

Sasuke looked bemused. "Stop laughing and tell me what's Grawp."

" Aaah…kind of hard to describe with words. How about I show you some other time. I've decided I've had enough excitement. I'll see you in the morning. Night." Naruto turned and gave a wave without looking back. Sasuke looked longingly after him.

* * *

Already back up in his room, Harry was inspecting the Maruader's Map. He watched the dots of Naruto and Sasuke walk through several corridors together, and he laughed as he remembered Naruto's blushing face.

_'This is interesting'_, he thought.

He watched them separate, and Naruto's dot appear in front of Gryffindor Tower. _'Uh oh.'_

He stuffed the map under the sheets, and threw them over his head, just as Naruto pushed the door open. He heard the door close, and Naruto changing.

Harry closed his eyes and began drifting off to sleep, unconsciously dreaming up ways of matching up two people.

* * *

Sasunaru it is. Sorry to those who didn't want, but majority rules. Don't worry, it's gonna stay T rating. 


	7. Fun and Mayhem in Hogsmeade

Rightio! Thank you heaps to everyone who's been reading and reviewing. I apologise to the people who wanted a pairing other than sasunaru. But rest assured, nothing too...err...disturbing will be happening. So i hope that's alright with everyone!

" "-talking

_' '- thinking_

**" "- kyuubi/inner sakura**

* * *

**_--Chapter Seven--_**

**_--Fun and Mayhem in Hogsmeade--_**

Early next morning, Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura found themselves walking down to Hogsmeade accompanied by Harry, Hermionie and Ron. It was a fine sunny day, and they were all in extremely good spirits. The ANBU were of course, were still wearing their masks. All around them villagers were pointing and whispering, but they didn't care.

As they entered the main street of the village, Sakura squealed in delight and clasped her hands together. Everyone stared at her. _'OMG, it's a shopping haven! Must…buy…something!'_ **"Hell yeah! Let the games begin!"**"Hey, we'll see you guys later!". After giving a quick wave she grabbed Naruto and Sasuke by the hands, and in a cloud of dust, had zoomed down the street to the money exchange. The Golden Trio just gaped after them.

At the exchange they emptied their pockets of Yen notes and received Galleons, Sickles and Knuts. Sweeping all the money into their pockets, Sasuke and Naruto then proceeded to follow Sakura while she entered every single shop in sight. There were clothes shops, accessories, a post office filled with owls and randoms…before long, she had bought an armful of shopping. Which Naruto and Sasuke _volunteered _to hold. "Eh, Sakura-chan, do you really need all of this?" Naruto peered around the stack of boxes he was balancing.

"Of course! I haven't shopped for a _week!_ This is making up for missed time!"

Sighing, the boys trudged after the ecstatic Sakura. A very colorful shop then caught Naruto's eye -'Zonko's'. Inside was what seemed to be wall upon wall of the most delightful…prank items. A pranksters heaven!

Grinning, Naruto shouted "I'll meet you further down the street!", dumped his armful onto Sasuke, and then darted into the shop. Sasuke looked quickly at Sakura, who was staring with yearning in her eyes at a beautiful and expensive looking necklace. She hadn't heard Naruto, or noticed his escape yet. Sasuke sneaked behind her, put the shopping on the ground, and disappeared into Zonko's before she could catch him at it.

In Zonko's Naruto had already managed to disappear into the thick crowd of people. Several little kids edged nervously away from Sasuke as he tried to find a flash of blonde. He walked past a stand of sharp, painful looking items, and another wall filled with all assortments of things which he simply could not begin to grasp the use of. _'Naruto would definitely know'_, he thought grimly.

Being in Team 7 with Naruto meant that he was amongst the 3 people which Naruto most liked to prank. The less serious matters had involved him having his hair become multicolored, and the occasional strange stacking that would occur in public. The more serious ones involved him being led to killing grounds where he would promptly be chased by dozens of screaming girls. An item on a shelf then caught his attention as he walked past. He picked it up, and read the information tag on it with narrowed eyes. He grinned beneath his wolf mask. _Revenge is sweet._

Meanwhile, Naruto was investigating a load of small cans. Each can contained a spell which would come into effect when it was opened. He looked past one labeled 'Wart Growing Fungus- Watch them scream!' and then stopped. He picked up a can, and then began to cackle evilly. "Mwuhahahaha!" Everyone around him backed away quickly.

He and Sasuke were at the cash registrar at the same time. "What'd you buy?" Naruto gestured at the red bag in Sasuke's hand.

"Nothing much. What's that your holding."

Naruto turned the can a bit so that the label was hidden. "Nothing either." Sasuke raised his eyebrows. Naruto paid, and they departed together.

Back outside they walked further up High Street, and then turned right. At a particular antiques shop they stopped to gaze at a beautiful set of matching katana, shuriken and kunai. Unfortunately, these weapons were not durable for long battles, having been made more for appearance than for fights.

At Honeydukes they couldn't resist the tempting displays of candy and went in to emerge half an hour later with bags bulging to bursting point with sweets. Naruto was chewing on some 'Droobles best glowing gum', and Sasuke was eating through some of his favorite Rocky Road chocolate.

Further down, they caught sight of a large group of Hogwart's students inside a bar called the 'Hog's Head.' One look at the bar told them that it was no place for students to be. It was one of those places that drunkards would often haunt. Harry was among the students and was standing on a table. The dozen or so students around him seemed to be paying close attention to whatever it was he was staying. Naruto grinned and wondered if Harry had managed to get himself drunk. He then made a hand seal and said "Henge!" He transformed into his female self, dressed in witch's robes. He looked expectantly at Sasuke.

Sasuke glared through his mask, but Naruto's ever so bright blue eyes won him over. "Henge." He also transformed into a young woman of around 20, and the two walked into the bar.

They walked past Harry's little assembly and sat at the counter where a man in his 40s shortly came to serve them. "What do you want", he asked gruffly.

Naruto smiled sweetly and seductively at the barman, who without delay started having a serious nosebleed. Sasuke consciously rubbed his own nose. He stared in shock at Naruto when he said "Two bottles of sake please."

The man instantly put two large bottles in front of them, looking exactly like the same stuff that Tsunade was always drinking. "What do you think you're doing," he hissed. He watched in awe as Naruto took the bottle and downed half of it in one go. Naruto wiped his mouth and said to him "You don't honestly think that after spending 5 years with Ero-sennin that I haven't at least learnt how to drink. The number of times he beered me so that he could skive off training!" Naruto started on the second bottle.

Sasuke shook his head and then concentrated on listening to what was happening over at Harry's corner of the room. He frowned. 20 minutes later…"Well, it's agreed then? First one will be on Friday! When we figure somewhere out, we'll work out a way to tell you." The students started to leave the bar until only Harry, Hermionie and Ron were left. Only then did Sasuke and Naruto pace over to them. They blocked their way to the door, folded their arms over their chests and looked down at them very much like how a displeased mother would.

Harry blinked. "Erm, do I know you?" he asked politely.

They reeled back in shock as a cloud of smoke blew away to reveal Sasuke and Naruto. Naruto snickered. "Been being bad little children now eh?"

* * *

Harry amazingly gave up all the details about their plans to learn Defence against the Dark Arts in secret as part of their conspiracy against Umbridge. Naruto and Sasuke were impressed -he had guts.

As they walked out onto the street, an angry scream rang through the air. "YOU TWO ARE GOING DOWN!"

Naruto and Sasuke turned around to behold a nightmare. Sakura was storming towards them with her shopping swinging from her arms behind her. She was running at incredible speeds, and she was coming straight. at. them.

"GAAH!" So fast that none of the wizards could see, Sasuke and Naruto had vanished from sight and high-tailed it up the road in the direction of the school. Sakura swept past them in a blaze of pink and black, hot on the tracks of the guys. "YOU BETTER STOP RIGHT THERE!" Innocent villagers were thrown into the air and out of the way as the chase blew past them. They shouted and waved their fists after them, yelling about 'idiotic' and 'disrespectful teens'.

In bewilderment, the trio ran after the crazy guards. Just inside the school gates, they found them. But also with them was Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle. Draco and Naruto were both picking themselves off the ground, seeming to have collided. Sakura was distracted, and now directing her rage at the Slytherins.

"Watch where you're going filth", Draco snarled at them. "It's disgraceful, not only are we being guarded by muggles but a bunch of _losers _as well." He then noticed Harry, Hermionie and Ron standing feet away, and he threw them dirty looks.

"Although, considering the scum already here, it doesn't really make a difference." He directed this sentence at Hermionie. Draco sneered at them then turned around, and began to saunter his way back up to the castle with his two henchman flanking him on either side. Hermionie looked like she was about to cry.

Sakura was furious. And a furious Sakura meant all Hell was about to break loose. **"I'll see ya in Hell!" **Letting loose a savage cry, Sakura sped towards Draco. Without further ado Naruto and Sasuke grabbed Harry and co. and pulled them a safe distance away. A safe distance would have preferably been a few kilometers, but for now, they settled to landing in the branches of some trees at the edge of the Forbidden Forest.

Harry massaged his neck, having been pulled by his collar up into the trees. "What are we doing so far away? And why do you two seem so scared of Sakura?"

Naruto turned in his direction and laughed without humor. "We're preserving our lives." Inside him, Kyuubi cowered and howled. Harry looked doubtfully at him, thinking he was joking. But when he heard a huge explosion, he thought again.

They watched in terror as with her inhuman strength Sakura punched the ground open, capturing the Slytherins in the cracks that appeared everywhere. Unlike the blast that had cracked the hill open, this one caused an _earthquake_. The trees they were hiding in even shook, and they all held on for dear life. When Sakura was in a rage she could no longer control her strength. Sasuke and Naruto had both learnt this the hard way. They looked at Sakura as she calmly lifted Draco up by the collar. She lifted her right hand, and with a resounding SMACK that could be heard throughout the area, sent him flying hundreds of meters away.

Naruto whistled. "Whoa. She's _really_ mad this time."

Draco flew through the sky like a falling star to land in the middle of the lake. But Sakura was not finished with him yet. While he was in the water she threw one of her special kunai at him, activating the explosive element in it. A mini tsunami lifted Malfoy up, buffering him to and fro in the general direction of land.

Appearing before Malfoy as he reached the shore, Sakura put her two index fingers together and looked him in the eyes. _'Genjutsu.' _The last thing Malfoy saw before darkness claimed him was Sakura's jade eyes, piercing his own through the slits in the hawk mask.

_Malfoy found himself waking up in Gryffindor Tower. He looked around__. There were Potter and Weasley! ...they were sleeping. He tried to get out…but they awoke! His hands were tied and they started shooting spells at him. He was surrounded by hundreds of them! And then, Granger appeared. She grinned at him, came close, and placed a hand on one cheek. Filth! Viciously, she then drew a blade across his cheek. He screamed- he could feel pain. Then they disappeared. He faced the ninja in their strange masks and attire. _

"Sakura-chan", Naruto yelled. "Stop!"

_They removed their masks and then he couldn't take it anymore. His fear overflowed and he screamed non-stop, thrashing and flailing desperately to get away. __Their monstrous faces came towards him... he watched helplessly as strange spinning stars embedded themselves in him. He cried out…_

"Sakura, you went too far." Sasuke had appeared next to the slumped over boy. He lifted one eyelid of Malfoy's then said "He's gone into trauma. You've probably scarred him for life." He was angry at her for inflicting torture on the boy. Even though he deserved it, he wasn't used to such harsh treatment and it most probably would remain ebbed in his mind for as long as he lived.

Sakura grumbled, but looked apologetic. "His fault for annoying me. And he was absolutely foul to Hermionie." She inclined her head to Hermionie who gave her a small smile of gratitude. "Don't worry, I can heal him." She lifted one hand and placed it on Malfoy's forehead. Malfoy's hair begin floating in a ghastly fashion and a green glow surrounded her hand. Malfoy began to stir.

While Sakura was healing Malfoy the others had retreated. Ron was gleefully jumping up and down, clapping his hands and acting like a complete idiot. "Ahaha, Malfoy so deserved that! Did you see how far he _flew?! _I'm starting to like these guys."

Hermionie was worried though. "Malfoy isn't going to let this pass. He's most probably going to tell his father, and that might land Sakura in a lot of trouble. And then I'll feel so bad! It's my fault!"

"It's not your fault! Malfoy has no right to be saying things like that to anyone. Just because he's got a rich father…" Harry noticed Ron sounded somewhat envious. "Don't be such a worrywart 'Mionie. Why do you always have to spoil the mood?"

Hermionie shut up, and they all refocused attention on the scene before them just in time to see Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle running as fast as their legs could carry them up the castle steps, and into the shadows within.

* * *

That night was Sakura's turn on guard duty. Naruto and Sasuke sat alone in common room after everyone else had gone to sleep. Tomorrow would be the first day of lessons. It was just past midnight, and the two were playing a very competitive game of Shougo. Shikamaru had taught the both of them how to play, but they were both still amateurs. Sasuke had managed to corner Naruto and he watched in amusement as a vein on Naruto's forehead twitched.

"Give it up dobe, you can't win."

Blue eyes flashed, and Naruto leapt up, placing one leg on the table and then bending down to shove his face right in front of Sasuke's. Sasuke wasn't intimidated. He was, however, embarrassed. Naruto finally realized how close they were and he sprung back, flushing. "I will never give up."

"Fine then." With one final move, Sasuke placed down another black piece and finished the game. Naruto growled but contented to stretching himself out on one of the cushiony chintz chairs. They were wearing casual clothes at the moment and no masks, but still with their weapons strapped. Sasuke was in long black pants, and a white T. Naruto was wearing long cargos and his black shirt with a swirl on the front.

Bored, Naruto walked up the wall, and began chucking kunai at the wall opposite. As chunks of tapestry began flying everywhere, he saw that Sasuke was reading through some of the books he'd borrowed off Hermionie. Naruto couldn't see how Sasuke could stand reading when he didn't absolutely need to.

A few hours later, they decided it was time to call it a night and they went up to their dorms. They pulled their curtains around them and sank off into dreamland.

_Sometime later…_

Sasuke opened his eyes a centimeter. And then from his pocket he pulled the product he'd bought from Zonko's. He turned the little drawstring bag around and began reading the back:

_Directions for Use:_

_Blow the powder over the face of anyone, anytime, and 4-5 hours later, the spell will begin to take effect. One sachet of powder ensures a duration of 10 hours from time of effect beginning. _

_Warning: Using copious amounts may result in irreversible changes to personality._

Clutching the bag tightly, Sasuke leapt onto the ceiling. Making no sound at all, he walked upside down so that he was directly over Naruto, and then opened the bag. He poured some bright green powder into his hand and then being careful not to breathe it in himself, he exhaled and let the powder fall to Naruto. He watched with satisfaction as Naruto breathed in deeply. Mission complete.

At 6, with approximately half an hour to go by Sasuke's reckoning, Naruto awoke. Sensing that Sasuke was also awake, Naruto pounced from his own bed, landing on Sasuke's stomach and completely knocking all the wind out of him. "Ouch! Get off, you're heavy!" Naruto smiled ruefully, and Sasuke felt bad for snapping. "Sorry dobe." Naruto smiled at the look on Sasuke's face. _'He looks so…sweet when he's worried.'_

"No problem." Naruto got off and helped Sasuke to his feet. And then, as quick as a serpent, he'd cracked open a familiar looking can and thrown it towards Sasuke. Sasuke caught it in his hands. "What the…?"

He was enveloped in a bright red smoke, and started coughing violently. For a moment Naruto panicked. "O crap!" But then the smoke faded away, and Naruto was left facing a very annoyed Sasuke. A very annoyed, very _feminine_ Sasuke.

Naruto started laughing, clutching his stomach. "Got ya!"

Sasuke didn't get what was so funny.

"Look in the mirror."

Sasuke looked in the mirror, and he took a step back. _'Kami forbid!'_ He was still clearly recognizable as being Sasuke, but his features had been changed so that he looked like a girl. His black hair now reached down past his shoulders, rolling in gentle waves. His onyx eyes had become slightly larger and rounder, and he had also gained the curvaceous figure of a girl. He turned to Naruto. "NARUTO!" Even his voice had become high pitched.

Naruto now had tears in his eyes. "Just my little prank. Don't worry, it'll go away by itself in around…10 hours. Hehehe, Uzumaki Naruto wins again!"

"Oh…I wouldn't be so sure about that." And Sasuke felt some justice as he saw a pink cloud swallow up Naruto. When this cloud disappeared, Naruto had transformed into his female form, although this time without any scars on his cheeks.

"What the. How'd _that _happen?" In confusion, Naruto lifted his hands, intending to undo what he thought was his jutsu. Nothing happened. "WHATS GOING ON?!"

Sasuke strode over to Naruto, and whispered- "Got ya."

* * *

Next Chapter- A girl Naruto and a girl Sasuke are now walking around Hogwarts. Will they manage to keep their identities secret, or is this prank going to blow everything up in their faces?


	8. Declaration of War

Okay! New chappie!

" "- talking

' '- thinking

**" "- Kyuubi/inner Sakura**

* * *

Angrily, Naruto tried once more to break the illusion on him. When he finally accepted that it was not a mistaken transformation, he collapsed in a heap on the carpet. "What are we suppose to do?! We can't let anyone see us like this!" _'Lucky today was a school day.'_

"**Argh! Being stuck in a human was enough! But a GIRL?! Spare me!**

"Simple, dobe." said Sasuke. "Henge!" A poof of smoke surrounded Sasuke. However, when the smoke had faded from view, Sasuke was still in his female form. Naruto snorted. "If it were that easy to counter a prank, it would be pretty disgraceful. I doubt masks would work either. The point of that prank is to force you to walk around as a girl for 10 hours and take all the humiliation that comes with it. Too bad Sasuke. We're stuck like this until…" he checked his watch "3pm this afternoon."

"Grr. So what are we going to do then?! Just walk around and hope no one notices we're suddenly more curvy and feminine than normal?!"

Naruto glared. And then, a brilliant idea came to him. He grinned and shook his head. "No. What we do is we take a well deserved break in light of the occasion."

"Henge!"

"It doesn't work idiot, you already saw- WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU WEARING?!"

Where Naruto had been in his ANBU outfit previous second, he was now in the girls Gryffindor uniform. Kyuubi shrank and stuttered. **"Oh No…" **"A dress, what do you think? We can't transform our gender or physical attributes, but we can still change our clothes."

* * *

At lunchtime, the students of Hogwarts were all enjoying their break in the Great Hall. Meaningless chatter and the sound of eating dominated the hall, and so it was that when two beautiful and unfamiliar girls entered the room, it took more than was normal for people to acknowledge them.

Boys heads turned at them, mouths hanging wide open at these two impossibly perfect specimens. (Hmm…I wonder do boys really think like that). They were both unnaturally flawless and attractive in their own way, contrasting the other. The golden, tanned skin – the mark less, pale skin. The bright, blue, enchanting eyes- the cold, serene, dark ones.

As Naruto and Sasuke walked towards the Gryffindor table, wolf whistles and shouts echoed all around.

"Hey pretty!"

"Wanna go out with me?"

They attempted as best as they could to ignore this, but unfortunately, ignoring something is a lot more harder when it is in your face. A crowd of boys had gathered around them, cutting off their path to the Gryffindor table. Malfoy and his cronies were amongst the people there.

A tall boy in Hufflepuff looked coyly at Naruto. "Emm…would you like to go on a date?"

Naruto stared, and then, point blank- "No."

Kyuubi was howling. **"Get them away kit! Far, far away!"**

Meanwhile, a daring Senior Slytherin had placed his hand on Sasuke's cheek, and then pulled his face so close to Sasuke's ear that with each word, it looked like he was kissing him/her.

Naruto looked at this display with outrage, and before anyone else could do anything, he had somehow managed to punch or kick every boy in the ring back 10 feet without anyone seeing a movement. He had taken particular satisfaction in punching Malfoy's face in. Grabbing Sasuke's hand, he decided to ditch lunch and walked briskly towards the doors. However…"What is going on here?"

Everyone turned to see Umbridge walking into the Great Hall. She met head on with Naruto and Sasuke, whom froze in their tracks. She looked coldly around the hall, and from the garbled explanations of students, and her observations, deduced that Naruto and Sasuke had beaten up a group of boys for the heck of it.

Beckoning, she said to them "Follow me."

Naruto and Sasuke gave each other one look saying 'What the hell?' and then followed Umbridge. She led them past several corridors, up two floors, and then finally stopped at a classroom next to a staffroom hideously decorated with ribbon and bows.

"Names."

"Huh….what?"

"I said, what are your names."

Figuring it was best not to use their real names, Naruto stuttered out "Hinata Hyuuga." Sasuke named himself as "Ino Yamanaka."

Umbridge took note of their names in a horrible pink notebook, and then gave them severe, evil looks. "Miss Hyuuga and Yamanaka. You have just lost your house (she gestured at their Gryffindor uniforms) 50 points, for causing grievous bodily harm to others."

Sasuke and Naruto simultaneously thought _'Grievous bodily harm my ass!'_

Umbridge continued to drawl on. "…and you will be serving detention with me every afternoon for the next week."

"WHAT?! You can't do that!"

Umbridge regarded them smugly and said "I am a teacher. I have every right to punish students. You will now follow me into this classroom, and proceed with writing lines for the next hour."

They followed her into the dingy classroom, and she sat them in separate corners. She then issued each of them a stack of paper, and a strange looking quill which was striped vivid red. At the front of the classroom, she called out "You will write for me 'I shall not harm others for my own enjoyment' " until 2:00pm. With that, she sat herself behind the desk, and proceeded to mess around with papers and doing what looked suspiciously like writing out invites for something.

Seething with rage, Naruto stabbed the quill down onto the paper. A gasp of pain escaped him as blood began to run from the back of his hand out of a newly inflicted gash. He looked down at the piece of paper and saw that where he'd stabbed it, there was now a splatter of blood. He looked up at Umbridge with shock, and then, it was gone, and all that was left was a mask of wrath. From Sasuke's side of the room, there came a yelp, and Naruto couldn't take it anymore.

He stood up, and weaved his way through the chairs and desks until he was standing directly in front of Umbridge. Sasuke looked up from his own table. Umbridge did not give any sign that she had noticed him, but Naruto knew she had. Her movements had become slower, and she wasn't concentrating on what she was writing. This ignorance only enraged Naruto further, and before he could stop himself, he had shouted at her a dozen profanities and insults.

He finished off with a brilliantly composed speech.

"Listen good and clear bitch, don't try to fuck around with me, if you freaking think I'm gonna sit here and let this piece of shit (he chucked the quill at her face) cut me open, then you got another thing coming."

He panted heavily at the end of the sentence and Umbridge finally looked up at the girl in front of her. "Miss Hyuuga", she said, voice quivering with barely controlled anger "you will follow me to the headmaster's office IMMEDIATELY!"

She slapped down the piece of paper she had been sealing. "Miss Yamanaka, you may leave." She strode out the room, and Naruto stormed out the door after her with one final glance at Sasuke.

Sasuke wasn't very pleased with this turn of events. 'I better follow them.' He followed them to ground floor where Dumbledore's office was, and sneaked in.

In Dumbledore's office, Umbridge was launching her case. Dumbledore sat behind his desk like always, chin resting on his crossed fingers, and watching them, amused at something they could not grasp. Naruto rolled his eyes as Umbridge began to weave a fantastic tale of attacks, her saving the students, then the 'disrespectful girl' insulting her. Naruto then noticed Sasuke standing upside down on the ceiling and he gave a grin. Bad move.

"WHAT ARE YOU GRINNING AT GIRL?!" shrieked Umbridge.

"Just not you bitch." muttered Naruto.

'Uh oh, this is getting out of hand', thought Sasuke. Before Umbridge could retaliate, he leapt down and landed neatly between the feuding couple.

He looked at Dumbledore, and bowed respectfully. "Professor Dumbledore. Please excuse my partner for his actions. However, we were defending ourselves, and Professor Umbridge only saw the scene afterwards."

Umbridge was stuttering at Sasuke, her finger pointing at him "Wha…what…what are you?!"

Dumbledore was the person to answer this. "They are Naruto Uzumaki, and Sasuke Uchiha. And if I am correct, clearly on the receiving end of a Zonko's product."

Everyone looked at him in surprise. "How'd you know?" demanded Naruto and Sasuke.

"What…the guards?!" And then Umbridge snarled. "I DEMAND that they be removed, or otherwise punished! They have showed violence, disrespect, deceit as well as countless other crimes."

"I believe that violence, disrespect and deceit are the _only_ things we committed. YOU also used violence." Sasuke raised his hand to show the cut on the back still gleaming with blood. "If anyone is to removed, it should be you. You are a hazard to students."

As the 3 people before him broke out into argument once more, Dumbledore struck them dumb with one movement of his hand. As they gulped like goldfish, Dumbledore stood up and walked around to join them on the other side of the table. He started to pace in front of them.

"Now then. Whilst we are all peaceful and calm, (death glares throughout the office) we shall sort out a few things. One. The guards will, and can not be removed from Hogwarts until such time as their contract is completed at the end of this year. Two. Not being students, we have no right to punish them. Therefore, all detentions which you had previously planned for them, Dolores, will not take place. Three and finally, Dolores Umbridge, being assigned to Hogwarts by the Ministry of Magic, also cannot be removed. Therefore, I find that we all have no choice but to live together happily in this castle until the end of the year."

He waved his hand carelessly, and their voices returned to them. As they massaged their throats and the rawness they felt there, the headmaster sat back down and leant back in his armchair, closing his eyes. They all took this to mean that the meeting was over. They left the office in silence. This silence continued until they all reached the Great Hall, where everyone was congregating now that lessons were over for most people for the day.

As Sasuke and Naruto attempted to walk off, a half shout half shriek erupted behind them from Umbridge. "You will wish that you'd never come to Hogwarts! Mark my words, I will make you suffer and regret ever becoming involved with beings more superior than –"

She never finished her sentence, for Naruto had jumped onto the Ravenclaw table, and drowned her voice out with a shout so loud that even those outside the Hall could hear him. "RIGHT BACK AT YOU, YOU WORTHLESS PIECE OF CRAP!" A ringing silence went through the Hall.

POOF

Where previously a black haired girl and a blonde haired girl had stood, now stood Naruto and Sasuke in their ANBU outfits (I really don't want to describe a scene where two guys are wearing dresses in front of a school. So assume they were smart enough to revert back). And they were unmasked.

At this very moment, Sakura ran into the Hall, and she slapped a hand to her forehead at what she saw. Putting aside the fact that two beautiful girls had transformed right before their eyes in guys, all the girls in the Hall were now staring love hearts at Naruto and Sasuke. They admired their faultless and handsome faces, and drooled over their bodies, lean but at the same time muscled slightly. The weapons, outfits, bandages running up and down on the wrists and legs, just added to this impression of a perfect tough guy in every girl's mind. Some boys too, were blushing.

Even Hermionie, who was standing to one corner with Ron and Harry, had turned a light shade of pink.

Naruto beckoned something to Harry, and he complied. Pointing his wand at Naruto, he said "Sonorus!"

An evil smirk lit up Naruto's features (several girls fainted) and then, he raised his hand and pointed one finger at Umbridge. All of Sakura's and Sasuke's hopes of this ending happily disappeared at his next words.

"LISTEN ALL!" He paused to let his words sink in. Everyone everywhere, even outside and on the Quiddich pitch were paying rapt attention as his magically magnified voice rolled over them. "I HEREBY DECLARE WAR ON THIS OLD DINGBAT! I SOLEMLY SWEAR THAT BY THE END OF THIS YEAR, SHE SHALL BE BEGGING TO BE REMOVED FROM HOGWARTS!"

All around him, the Hall broke into applause, and Umbridge was forced to pull out her wand and shoot several long streams of green and gold sparks into the ceiling.

"I…WILL…HAVE…ORDER!" she shrieked. She looked directly at Naruto. "Little boy, you have just made yourself enemies with the Ministry of Magic!"

"Oh shut up, you." Naruto lazily pulled out a kunai, and with a THWACK, had pinned Umbridge's wig to the wall 5 feet behind her.

Umbridge screamed and put a hand up to her bald head. As students roared with laughter, she ran over and tried to grab her wig from the wall, but to no avail. She quickly fled from the Hall after throwing one last look of hatred at Naruto.

Naruto bowed mockingly to the cheers around him, and shot a huge grin in Harry's direction, who grinned back at him. 'Common Room', he mouthed.

Naruto nodded.

* * *

Alone in the Common Room were, Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura, Harry, Hermionie and Ron.

Ron thumped Naruto on the back. "That was excellent!"

Hermionie nodded shyly. Naruto smiled at her, and Hermionie blushed. Ron noticed this, and immediately stopped celebrating and folded his arms, suddenly grumpy looking.

Sakura however, had a whole different outlook on the situation. With a punch to each Naruto and Sasuke that had them splayed out on the floor and seeing stars, she screeched.

The others wisely backed away to the furthest corner of the room.

"YOU BAKAS! YOU COMPLETELY BLEW OUR COVER." She chucked her own mask off. "I MIGHT AS WELL NOT WEAR MY MASK EITHER ANYMORE, SINCE YOU TWO HAVE ALREADY DONE ENOUGH DAMAGE AS IT IS!"

With steam literally coming off the top of her head, she turned around to see that Ron and Harry were now staring at her, very much like how the girls had been looking at Sasuke and Naruto. She blinked. "What?"

Ron looked at Harry, and seeing he wasn't going to say anything, he cleared his throat. "Ahem, well…has anyone told you that you're very, ah…beautiful?"

Taken aback, Sakura could only stare and flush pink. It was now Hermionie's turn to pout, as she drew her arm back and elbowed Ron sharply in the ribs. "Ow!"

Harry laughed at them. "Jeez, just confess to each other already."

In a flicker, Naruto was suddenly leaning in between Ron and Hermionie. "Ooh. A pair of lovebirds! Kiss! Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!..."

KABOOM.

3 fists had simultaneously connected with Naruto's head, and knocked him out. The rest of the gang continued to chat conversationally, leaving Naruto where he lay.

* * *

Naruto's birthday had come and gone, and he was now 17, same as Sasuke. He'd received a huge haul this year. Sasuke had given him a beautiful blade which he'd engraved himself. Sakura had presented him with a large supply of ramen. It wasn't only these two he'd got presents from. Girls from all over the school had somehow got wind of the fact it was his birthday, and he'd found himself being ambushed by a group of them during a patrol in between lessons. He swore he'd give hell to whoever had tipped them off.

Winter arrived, and with it, preparations for the Christmas season. Snow was falling gently on the school grounds, creating a landscape straight from a Winter snow globe.

Dumbledore had informed them that since the majority of students were home for Christmas, he'd arranged that they would be staying with Harry, Hermionie and the Weasleys at the Burrow.

Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura no longer wore their masks, and were quickly becoming known as the Three Sennins by students all over the school in recognition of their looks. (Sennin translates to god/goddesses I think, or something immortal in general). When the three heard of these new names, they had laughed at how they had followed in the tracks of their masters.

Patrols of the corridors continued, but the lack of action had begun to cause them extreme boredom.

Truly, Naruto was so frustrated, that he'd begun to torture and prank the painting occupants, ghosts, students, and best of all, Peeves. Both were masters of pranks, and both enjoyed the feeling of having a fellow master to compete with. Their pranks usually would in someway involve the rest of the school, such as the time that Peeves went flying into the hall with his bowtie on fire, having been on the receiving end of Naruto's fire jutsu. He'd then accidentally set alight the homework of several students, including…Fred and George Weasley.

Wanting revenge, and hardly wanting to be left out of some fun, the Twins had involved themselves by laying a carefully planned trap which had caused Naruto and Peeves to walk/fly around backwards for the rest of the day.

Sasuke and Sakura were both experiencing feelings of disbelief that the second strongest ninja in their village, the captain of all ANBU, could dodge a hundred projectiles and spells, but could be hit by a prank.

Those 4 now wreak havoc upon the school whenever one/one pair coincides with the other.

It was a weekend and both the Sennin and Golden Trio were outside at the lake again. It had frozen over, and so this allowed for Harry, Ron and Hermionie to stand on it as they watched the other three spar. They clutched their scarves and shivered in their cloaks. They wondered at how the ANBU could stand wearing just a thin cloak over their normal attire.

This time, they were having a three way spar, and it had already been going on for half an hour.

Sakura and Naruto flew over a fireball that erupted from Sasuke's mouth, and Naruto retaliated. "Suiton: Dragon Flood!" Sasuke was forced to jump from the lakes surface as the ice beneath his feet cracked and water began to fly upwards, tracking him.

'Kawarami' he thought. His replacement was destroyed, and his true form raced towards Naruto with 'Chidori'.

Before he was within hit range, however, Sakura had punched the ice. All ice within a 10 meter radius of her imploded. Excluding her, everyone slipped on the ice and into the freezing waters. Needless to say, when they all had finally swum back to shore, daggers were being glared.

Sopping wet and colder than ever, they trudged their way back through the snow, into the castle and up to Gryffindor Tower. When everyone was finally changed into _dry _casual clothes, they happily settled to sitting in front of the heater until 4pm, which was when a DA meeting had been scheduled.

Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura hadn't been to one yet, and decided that this time, they would go and see how things were.

The three took a while to get into the Room of Requirement, but when they were finally in there, they found themselves standing in a room, in the midst of where multiple spells were criss-crossing each other and bouncing everywhere.

"Gah!" Dodging, they jumped onto the ceiling.

"Hey!" The twins waved up to them. Everyone had long since gotten use to the guards walking all over the place, and defying gravity. "Oops."

Fred had 'accidentally' sent a spell at Naruto which had caused the necklace from Tsunade on his neck to grow at a shockingly quick pace. Barely avoiding being choked to death, Naruto jumped onto the floor. Harry saw and hastily sent a spell which reverted the necklace to its normal size.

Fred looked nervously at Naruto. "Ah, no harsh feelings yes?"

One moment later, Fred was dangling upside down from the roof, being suspended by the ankle by Naruto. "AAAH!"

Naruto walked over to where the stack of cushions were, and dropped Fred onto them. "Nope, none at all."

Luna Lovegood walked up to them, looking positively ridiculous with her huge dangly earrings, cork necklace, and unfocused eyes. "Hello, are you hear to be our test subjects?"

"What the hell gives you that idea?"

"We've been needing some for awhile now, its been getting quite sore testing everything on each other."

"True". Ginny smiled at the guards innocently. "Please? It doesn't hurt! Just sore when you miss the cushions."

"OK. (Sasuke and Sakura began protesting.) But only if you can hit us!"

A dozen spells came spiralling at them, and they all split and dodged. Naruto was laughing, enjoying the excercise. By the end of the DA lesson, not one single person had managed to hit any of the guards.

A few days before Christmas holidays, a surprise awaited the Sennin as they made their way to breakfast at the Hall.

At the front of the Hall, 12 familiar figures stood conversing with some Hogwart's students. Shikamaru looked up and saw them. As they looked in surprise and happiness, a smile spread across his face. He waved lazily."Yo."

* * *

How'd you like? And i have a question. With alerts, am i suppose to do anything? Or does it just sort itself out?

Until next time, bye!

By the way, anyone else who's read the last Harry Potter book think Rowlings suddenly become extremely sadistic?


	9. Quidditch and Painful Memories

Something nice and long for you

" "- talking

' '- thinking

**" "- kyuubi/inner sakura**

* * *

**_--Chapter Nine--_**

**_--Quidditch and Painful Memories--_**

In an old abandoned house nestled on the tip of a hill in a tiny village, Lord Voldemort sat on an ancient armchair. As his giant snake, Nagina, began to stir and encircle his feet, his voice came from the lipless mouth. Strangely, it wasn't cold and cruel like normal. It was almost impossible, but in that voice there was traces of…closeness and familiarity.

"Brother. Why is it I find you, at the bottom of a cliff, and so precariously close to death?"

From the shadows emerged a face as snake-like and horrific as Voldemort's. This face was scarred by the evidence of a gruesome battle...one which he had obviously lost.

Orochimaru gave his hollow laugh. "It seems I underestimated two particular boys. They caught me by surprise and together, almost killed me, even when I have been through countless self-operations and immortality jutsus."

"I have told you time and again. Magic is stronger than what you call charka."

"Oh, no. You do not know anywhere near the true extent of charka, how malleable it is, its many forms, and the wonders it is capable of ensuing." Orochimaru's voice was one of a man captivated.

Voldemort looked coldly and then began to stroke Nagini's head.

"But…",whispered Orochimaru. "I shall have my revenge. I don't care if they die anymore. I wish for nothing more than for them to suffer for the rest of eternity." He spun around and in a flash was standing in front of his older brother.

Voldemort flinched. If there was anything he admired about his brother, it was the speed and cunning. Orochimaru spoke. "They are in your world now, in a magical school. They are protecting the boy you want, the one that caused you 13 years as a wandering soul."

Nagini hissed as she felt her master's discomfort. Voldemort stood up so that he and Orochimaru were standing level with each other.

"If that is the case, then I shall deal with you. I will take you to them. But in return…I require your skills and assistance against Potter."

* * *

Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura collapsed as 9 people threw themselves onto them. As Ino began strangling him and Chouji sat on his foot, Sasuke glared at the students around him, daring them to laugh.

When hugs and greetings were finally over, the Golden trio saw that there were 12 new people, also dressed in what was evidently ninja attire, but all unmasked. They were around the same age as Naruto, Harry deduced, but he overall thought that they seemed much more immature than the first three.

They were more immature in the way their eyes weren't shadowed, weren't haunted by memories which would torment their minds until the day they died.

"How come they're not wearing masks?" Ron asked Sakura.

"Well, none of them have been able to make it to ANBU level. With the exception of Shikamaru over there, but he turned the post down."

The new arrivals all introduced themselves to the students whom had gathered around the curious gaggle of people. Harry trusted that by the end of the hour every student in the school would know.

There were 4 girls. One had dark, brown hair done back in buns, and wore a traditional white Chinese outfit with red pants. She was the one to step forward and introduce herself and her girlfriends. She was called Tenten, and she named the 3 other girls next to her as Temari, Hinata and Ino.

Shikamaru did the rest of the introductions, pointing out each person as he said their name.

There was a boy with a HUGE dog, a quiet guy with sunglasses and hands in pocket, another pupil-less guy who looked utterly pissed (or was that his normal face?).

Most noticeable of all was the guy with the bowl haircut. HIS EYEBROWS WERE HUGE! AND WHAT WAS WITH THAT DRESS SENSE?! Many girls had turned faint when they registered what seem to be hairy black caterpillars above his eyes. His tight green spandex outfit was…scary! Guys all around were shaking their heads in shame on his behalf.

When Shikamaru had introduced him, he had flashed everyone a blinding smile and gave them the thumbs up. "IT IS EXCELLENT TO BE HERE, AND TO SEE SUCH EVIDENCE OF SWEET CHILDHOOD AND INNOCENCE! IT REMINDS ME OF THE ACADEMY!" Sweat drop. Tenten sighed and knocked him out with a mace. More sweat drop.

In one corner next to a guy covered with face markings was a red head with his arms folded, and looking apprehensively at the joy of the other students. Gaara had not hugged, or said anything when he'd seen the others. But Harry could see he looked at the happy sight in front of him with yearning. They'd said they and the fan girl were from a different village to the others and by their clothing, Harry supposed they were. Their style was much more…flowing, in a way. Their sleeves and garments were more loose fitting, and draped over their frames. _'They must be from a hotter area.'_

Seeing the others were too busy inspecting the castle's interior, Naruto dragged Shikamaru off to one side. Sakura and Sasuke came along too and watched as Naruto interrogated the jounin. "Why the heck is everyone here? We never asked for backup or anything! Everything's just fine!"

Harry was impressed to see Shikamaru not back down at all, and instead just wear a bored expression on his face. "Troublesome. We are not backup. Tsunade has granted us permission to visit you in the holidays to see how you are. The Sand siblings wanted to come too, strangely enough. We are only visiting and will be gone day after tomorrow. Mind you, I'm regretting this already. The trip on the train was horrible."

"Yeah." Chouji had joined them, still shoveling crisps into his mouth from the bottomless bag which held his supply. "Senseis wouldn't shut up. Never bring them two together on a long trip."

"Wait then…so that means…"

"NARUTO! BOY OF BURNING YOUTH! THE UNDYING FIRE IS AS STRONG IN YOU NOW AS EVER!" Shoulders sagged, and eyes became white and comic as Gai- sensei came bounding across the Hall, bowling through an innocent gang of Hufflepuffs as he did.

_'Oh Kami!'_ Naruto rounded on them. "Why'd you have to bring him?!"

Before Gai could throw himself on Naruto however, a man with silver hair, and a mask hiding all but his eye appeared between them. In one hand was his bright, red Icha Icha Tactics book. The other hand was calmly placed on Gai's forehead, stopping him in his tracks. Naruto breathed a sigh of relief. "Hey Kakashi sensei."

And then, in one fluid movement, Kakashi had wrapped his arms around Naruto in a hug. All activity in Great Hall instantly froze. All eyes were focused on the couple, watching as Naruto's face contorted into utmost horror.

Sasuke's fist trembled.

"YAAAH!!! GET OFF ME YOU PERVERT!" Naruto grabbed Kakashi's arm, and with a vicious forwards swing sent him flying up, up to crash through the rafters and fly to who know's where.

Gai sighed. "Aah, my rival wins again."

The air around Naruto turned to frost. People shivered. _'What are these people?!'_

Another hole was made in the rafters as Gai went flying after Kakashi.

* * *

Today, was very coincidentally, the last Quiddich match of the Season.

Gryffindor VS Hufflepuff.

Dumbledore led all the shinobi to seats where they could see both ends of the pitch clearly. Hermionie and Ron joined them, neither being on the team. Gaara sat next to the excited Naruto. Naruto was turned to his other side and was pestering Ron and Hermionie with questions.

"What is Quiddich? Neh? Is it violent?"

Ron was just trying to get across to Naruto what a bludger was when Hermionie shushed the both of them. "You'll see soon."

She then whispered to Naruto. "Are all people back in your village this strange?" Faintly in the background, Ron could be heard mumbling about hypocrites.

Naruto frowned. "Strange?"

She nodded fervently. "You can't possibly think this is normal! A dog larger than me! The strange appearances of some, and they act kind of strange too."

"I heard that." Hermionie blushed when she realized Kiba was a few seats to the other side of Naruto, with his arm draped around Hinata's shoulder. He'd been talking to her but now looked up from his girlfriend to say "You haven't seen weird yet. Or have you? I don't know what Naruto's been up to while he's here."

Naruto finally realized Gaara was next to him. "Gaara!". Gaara squirmed uncomfortably, and Naruto looked the same. They were friends, but it was a rocky relationship made difficult by Gaara's lack of interaction with society.

Naruto smiled, and held out his hand. Smiling as much as he ever would, Gaara took it and gave a firm shake. Both jumped slightly when a loud voice came from in front of them.

All the ninjas clapped hands to their ears as the gigantic voice was made even louder by their sensitive hearing. McGonogall ushered to Lee, and he turned a knob on a strange device. When he spoke again, his voice was significantly quieter.

"AND NOW! LADIES, GENTLEMEN, AND OUR SPECIAL GUESTS FROM KONOHA! WELCOME TO THE FINAL QUIDDICH MATCH OF THE SEASON!" Lee grinned enthusiastically to screams and cheers from the stands. "AND NOW, INTRODUCING, THE HUFFLEPUFF TEAM!"

The blue and black quarter of the supporters started yelling and waving their colors around.

Naruto leapt up and stood on the very edge of the box and stared in wonder as people whizzed out from underneath the area where they were sitting, and began to fly laps on…broomsticks? Just as Naruto was trying to digest people floating around on broomsticks, a person did a spin in the air, and he was left gasping.

"AND NOW, THE UNDEFEATED CHAMPIONS…" Boos came from the Slytherins. "…GRYFFINDOR!"

Flyers clad in red and gold now came from the opposite end of the pitch, and Naruto recognized Harry. Harry performed a series of heart-stopping acrobatics as he ascended to 100 feet above the ground below.

"LET THE GAME BEGIN!"

For the next 20 minutes, the ninjas gasped, oohed, and screamed as the wizards and witches performed agile movements in the air, and battled for a large red ball. Two other balls were flying around with the intention of knocking people off their brooms. The twins were carrying around huge bats, whacking these at other people. Many of the ninjas were beginning to feel sick.

They watched as three people were carried off the pitch unconscious, and had decided that Quiddich was undoubtfully an extremely dangerous and violent sport.

Then, a whistle blew. All eyes turned to Harry who in his hand clutched a golden winged ball. "What's that?", Naruto asked Ron.

"That is called the Golden Snitch. It's capture ends the game, and earns the team of its captor 150 bonus points."

"That's ridiculous! One goal from that red ball only gets 10!"

Dumbledore turned to Gai and Kakashi. After a few words, he then whispered something to McGonogall, who in turn whispered something to Lee. Lee nodded and yelled into the microphone -

"AND NOW, WE HAVE A SPECIAL EVENT. PLEASE WELCOME TO THE PITCH, THE NINJA OF KONOHA, WHO WILL FACE THE WINNING TEAM GRYFFINDOR IN A FRIENDLY MATCH!"

"WHAT?!"

The 12 Konoha nins turned slowly to their sensei's.

Kakashi and Gai stiffened. _'Danger!'_

They were knocked out, and their bodies thrown unceremoniously onto the ground below.

Everyone then proceeded to protest and say that they had never before in their lives flown. But Dumbledore would not hear them. McGonogall pointed them to the direction of the brooms, and they left, the Sand Siblings watching in amusement.

Naruto grumbled as he took a broom from the lot leaning against the wall. The broom wriggled at his obvious dislike, and whacked him over the head. "Ow!" He glared at the once again motionless broom.

The others also each took a broom and they walked out onto the pitch with their fates uncertain.

Their baka senseis had recovered and returned to the stands, so that the pitch was perfectly green and smooth.

Above them, the Gryffindors were already circling and chatting. As the shinobi began to mount their brooms, Harry shot down to hover before them. "Good luck!" And then flew off to join his team.

The Gryffindors waited patiently as with a few shrieks and shouts, the shinobi all finally managed to get themselves into the air.

Harry grinned. They were in his territory now.

They sorted out that there would 9 chasers, 2 beaters (Sasuke and Lee) and that the Seeker would be Naruto, whose sight far exceeded all of them.

The whistle blew. And the world exploded into movement everywhere. Neji had somehow managed to grab the quaffle and threw it to Hinata, almost falling off in the process.

Naruto copied Harry and flew high up so that he could scan the pitch for signs of gold. He grinned as he easily spotted it flying 20 feet away at medium height. He sped off, and Harry looked in disbelief. _'He's spotted it already?!'_

Naruto was forced to swerve off course as a bludger was hit at him by George. George grinned mockingly, and flew back into the fray.

Naruto growled and then saw the Snitch again. This time, it had escaped to over 150 feet into the sky, much higher than anyone else was.

Back to the rest of the game, Sasuke had whacked a bludger so hard it had went smashing through a stand, dangerously destabilizing it. Not to be outdone, Lee smacked the second bludger towards the stand too. This was too much for the wooden supports, and the entire thing collapsed, its occupants screeching as they landed on the ground.

The ninja chasers had become frustrated at the slowness of their brooms and the skill of the opposing players. With the score at 50-0, they decided it was time to even it up.

As Katie Bell got hold of the quaffle, Neji and Hinata swept on opposite sides of her. Katie very suddenly found the quaffle flying out of her hands and into Tenten's arms. Neji grinned, and he and Hinata released the chakra threads they'd used.

Tenten threw the quaffle through the goal, and the Konoha nin all cheered.

It started raining, and the air became horribly cold. Harry shivered, as he was reminded of the time dementors had flown into the school. This was feeling awfully similar.

He saw a flash of black as Naruto flew past him on an upward ascent. Cursing, he flew after him, easily gaining up on his Firebolt. They flew higher and higher, until they entered a dark, stormy Nimbus.

Flying around in clouds, Harry viewed Naruto 20 meters away with one hand stretched out, reaching for the snitch…

They'd never let him live it down if he lost this. He sped faster than ever to Naruto's side, and then slowed.

"Naruto…?"

Naruto had stopped moving. His eyes had gone blank staring at something Harry could not see. His mouth was half open, mumbling incomprehensible words. He began trembling.

And then Harry felt it too. It was unmistakable. The touch of Dementors…but it was impossible! They could not possibly be a Hogwarts!

But he chucked aside all that was impossible as he saw a Dementor swoop towards Naruto.

Down below, he could hear high pitched screaming as people began realizing that up in those dark clouds, something was terribly wrong…

Naruto was still in his daze. He was silently crying now, the tears falling onto the wood of the broomstick and freezing into ice, as his body was racked by violent convulsions which threatened to dislodge him from the broom. Distantly, Harry heard Sasuke scream Naruto's name.

And then, the Dementor was right before Naruto. Naruto couldn't see it, or refused to comprehend anything as the cloaked being began to slowly lift Naruto's tear stained face, about to administer the kiss that would destroy him forever…

"NO!" He'd had had enough of Dementors. First the Summer Holidays, and now this. "Expecto Patronum!"

The deer exploded from Harry's wand tip and cantered through the air towards the Dementor, hitting it just as soft lips were about to touch the glistening hole that was the dementor's mouth. With a hiss, the Dementor turned in midair and fled, flying away, alone. In the back of his mind, Harry wondered why a Dementor was traveling alone, but he pushed that aside. Naruto needed help.

Even as Harry sped on his broom towards Naruto, he saw the blue eyes close. Naruto's body slackened, and he slid from the broom, just like how had happened to Harry, 2 years ago…

"Argh!". Harry watched in anguish as Naruto's body plummeted down through the clouds. He sped after him.

He urged his Firebolt on, catching up. He zoomed out of the dark clouds, heading at dangerous speeds towards the ground. And then a mere 40 feet above the ground, his hand had grasped Naruto's wrist. He held on tight and hovered there as the other shinobi came towards them. The stands had erupted into madness as everyone was trying to figure out what was going on.

Harry slowly began to descend towards the muddy earth. Sasuke and Sakura came running below them. Gently, they eased Naruto so that he was supported by both of them and they sped of together to the Hospital Wing, everyone else close behind.

Harry saw that in the teacher's stand, Kakashi, Gai, McGonagall and Dumbledore were also battling their way through the sea of panicking people to the Hospital Wing. Hermionie and Ron were gone, probably already halfway there. Harry touched down and then he too, sprinted his way to the Wing.

* * *

All shinobi, Harry, Ron, Hermionie, Dumbledore, Madam Pomfrey, and McGonogall gathered around as Sasuke and Sakura laid Naruto down on the bed. Naruto looked fitful, even in his unconscious state. Now that he was out of the cold he was sweating, and his hair, disheveled and wet from the rain was plastered to his forehead. As Sasuke backed away a few steps he heard Naruto say, very quietly "Don't go…"

Whether or not Naruto had meant to say it, he stayed where he was as Sakura and Madam Pomfrey bustled around the bed. Sakura firstly questioned McGonogall.

"What was that thing that attacked Naruto?"

McGonogall spoke gently. "A dark fiend, that lives for nothing than to cause as much misery and pain to others as possible. By coming into contact with it, Uzumaki will have been forced to recount all the most painful memories in his life."

Harry knew full well the awful pain it caused to come into contact with one.

In every ninja's mind, this translated itself into one word…_'Torture…'_

The witches and wizards didn't understand what happened next when suddenly, all the shinobi had suddenly broken down.

Sasuke was crouched over, beating his fist into the floor and leaving huge dents.

Most of the girls were crying and Akamaru howled sadly. Hermionie awkwardly placed a hand on Sakura's shoulder and looked up at Harry as though asking him to somehow stop this.

And Kakashi had, strangely, strode forward and placed his hand on Naruto's navel, then removed it a moment later with a breath of relief. He'd walked back to Gai and said "Its alright." Hermionie took note of this behavior with narrowed eyes.

Sakura wiped her tears away. "So it's mental damage." She placed her trembling hand on Naruto's head and began healing Naruto the same way as she'd healed Draco, her hand glowing bright green. Naruto stirred very slightly, face still set in a frown. After a second, Ino also came forward and added her own power to Sakura's. Madam Pomfrey began to treat Naruto's other lesser wounds with a strange smelling ointment.

Everyone left the three nurses and Naruto, walking outside to sit in the corridor. The professors quietly left for Dumbledore's office.

40 minutes later Sakura and Ino emerged. Ino walked over to Chouji and stood there quietly.

Everyone else rushed up to Sakura. "How long until he wakes?", demanded Kiba. When Sakura didn't answer, he grabbed her shoulders and shook her. The others had to pull him back.

Sakura shook her head, and the tears began to fall once again. "I don't know." She covered her face in her hands and Lee awkwardly put an arm around her.

Kiba and several others slid to the floor. Hinata ran over to comfort him.

The silence that followed was long.

* * *

_Naruto wept as he sat alone on the ash felt. The villagers walked past him without saying anything. The only acknowledgement __he received to show he wasn't a ghost was the spiteful glares. He was hated…why him? _

_At the park he walked up to a group of kids. He held out his hand, but they shrank away from it. A rock was suddenly thrown. He flinched as it flew across his face, leaving a long, bloody scratch. He lifted his hand to his face, and looked down at it after to see it smeared with his own bright, red blood._

"_Get away from my son!" A woman came and grabbed her child, and other parents did the same. As they turned, he heard just one word - "Monster." He was alone again. But he was always alone; always had been. The world didn't care for one such as him…_

_The man punched him again. The other men surrounding him laughed cruelly and sent more kicks to his body. He felt his arm break beneath a layer of utmost grief and terror. "Please…stop" he begged. They ignored him and continued slowly killing him._

_He coughed up blood. Sasuke's hand was through his chest. SASUKE'S. As his life begin to flow into the water, he looked into the eyes of his friend. There was nothing there. None of the emotions which he so wanted to receive and believe were possible. He had been wrong again...he would never find happiness._

_And as Rasengan and Chidori clashed together for the final blow, Naruto felt his heart shatter. "SASUKE!"_

His eyes flew open. He sat upright, panting. He was drenched in sweat, hands slick with it. He cast his eyes wildly around the room and realized with some relief that he was in a hospital room of sorts.

It was deepest night, the moonlight filtering in through the window. Off in the distance an owl hooted.

And slumped over asleep in a chair next to Naruto's bed was Sasuke.

Sasuke…Naruto stared at him for awhile. Everything about him was perfect. The angled face, the skin, the delicately curved eyebrows.

'_That's right'_,_ t_hought Naruto. _'Too perfect for one such as me.'_ Pulling the sheets up over his head, Naruto tried to get back to sleep.

The next morning when Sasuke was awake, he noticed the sheets covering Naruto's head. He stood up and walked slowly to the edge of the bed. "Naruto…?"

No one replied. Frustrated, he yanked the covers off to reveal Naruto curled up and with eyes closed. But he wasn't asleep. He was breathing heavily, face red and sweating like crazy.

Sasuke placed a hand on Naruto's head then swiftly withdrew it with a gasp. He was burning! With a POOF of smoke, he disappeared to get Sakura.

When Sakura had healed Naruto of his fever and thoroughly analyzed his health, she said that physically he was in perfect health. "You've been out for 3 days already", she told him. "All the others had to go back to Konoha, but before they left, they gave you their wishes." She waved her hand at the cards and gifts from Hogsmeade which littered a little table. "Hermionie, Harry and Ron have been visiting a lot too. You'll also be surprised at the amount of girls that came when they heard."

He didn't say anything. Instead, he lay back down so that he was facing the opposite wall. Sasuke and Sakura looked worriedly at him.

"I'll have to go now and find some plants for medicine. I've got to send a message to Tsunade too, to tell everyone he's better. Look after him." And Sakura disappeared.

Sasuke walked towards Naruto's bed, and put a hand on Naruto's head. He flinched as Naruto slapped it away without looking. "Naruto, what's wrong." When he was ignored yet again, he got mad.

"Listen, everyone's been worried about you for days now. Me and Sakura couldn't even sleep. We want to help you."

For another second, nothing. And then, Naruto finally spoke. His voice was weak, tired, and more sad than Sasuke had ever heard it. It hurt him. "Leave me alone."

"If you won't tell me what's wrong, then I'll just have to figure it out the other way." And with a pounce, Sasuke had straddled Naruto, turning his face so that he could see his eyes.

"What are you –". Naruto gasped as he saw the Mangekyou in Sasuke's eyes and he tried to throw him off, with no success. He threw a punch at Sasuke, but it was caught easily- his long sleep had left his body weak.

In a blinding flash of light, Naruto and Sasuke were in Naruto's mind, that maze of tunnels and chambers.

"_What do you want?" whispered Naruto. _

"_To know what's wrong. If you try to stop me I'll tie you up." He turned and headed down the tunnel on the right, the water splashing against his boots with each step. He turned around and saw that Naruto had chosen not to follow him, instead sliding down the wall to sit and watch Sasuke in despair._

_Yes, it was violating Naruto's privacy, but he was not after any of those more personal secrets. He only wanted to know, what had the Dementor made Naruto relive?_

_He walked to a door, a new one. It was pitch black, hinting that it's contents were nothing pleasant. 'It's got to be this one.'_

_He pushed the door, and it swung back on its hinges. He entered the room._

_For a moment, he could see nothing. Everywhere it was just darkness, except for the light of the door behind him. _

_'Where are the memories?'_

_He scanned the darkness and then so small that he was barely visible, was a miniature version of Naruto, no more that 10 years old. Swathed in a large black T-shirt and ¾ pants, he was crouched over with his head hidden in his arms._

_He sat on darkness, was surrounded by it, and had nothing else. It was a memory showing painful solitude, the horrible torture of being shunned and to have no one in the whole wide world._

_From the shadows came a man. The young Naruto raised his head hopefully, but his eyes widened in terror as he recognized the person. He stood up, and tried to run, but stopped when he felt a kunai point on his back. The man was a bearded, grinning thing in his 30s. "Where do you think you're going?" _

_Naruto gave no reply, instead trembling. A punch sent him sprawling onto the ground. How Sasuke longed to destroy that man. He snarled in anger as he saw the man lean over and lick Naruto's neck. "Ready to submit yet?" _

_Naruto shook his head violently. Another punch hit him, and he was knocked onto his side. As the man advanced on him, Naruto reached desperately for the dropped kunai. He grabbed it, and with a scream, drove it into the chest of the man. The man gaped, and Naruto sat there, stunned, as the blood dripped onto his face, splattered all over him. _

_Sasuke watched as Naruto retreated from the body, shaking his head in denial. "No…"_

_The memory disappeared. And Sasuke now stood on the top of a hill. Down below, several children played on the swings. Standing hidden from sight in the shadows of a tree watching them, was Naruto, now almost 12. He was dressed in his old orange jumpsuit, showing that this memory was quite recent. The kids saw him, and ran, leaving him alone._

_More memories flashed around Sasuke, no longer stopping. He could only see snippets of thoughts now, and with each passing second, his heart clenched tighter with pain as he felt Naruto's own. He began to feel dizzy, as the images swirled around him in a vortex of color. Panic grasped him as he considered the consequences of what would happen if he were to fall unconscious in the depths of another's mind._

_Finally, the vortex stopped. Sasuke rubbed his eyes and then reopened them to see a memory which not only haunted Naruto's mind, but his own as well. The giant statues of the Valley of the End towered over him, and he saw himself and Naruto fighting on the water surface. He groaned as he saw his younger self try to kill Naruto time after time, and then when it was over, to walk away and leave Naruto where he lay._

_Everything around him returned to black once more, and he was now back in the corridor, standing outside the black door. He raised a hand to his face and felt the tears there. With the cry of a lost soul, Sasuke began to bawl his heart out._

"_Seen enough?" Sasuke snapped his head up._

_Naruto stood before him and his eyes were emotionless as they surveyed the Uchiha before them. Sasuke nodded, and grabbed Naruto's hand and together they returned to the outside world._

Sasuke got off Naruto and sat on the edge of the bed. Naruto sat upright and pulled himself back so that he was putting more distance between him and Sasuke.

"Now you know." He shook his hair over his eyes and his voice cracked with his next words - "I'm useless."

"NO!"

Sasuke had grabbed Naruto, and before Naruto could say or do anything, he found himself in Sasuke's tight embrace. Both of them were crying and seeking comfort in each others warmth.

"Don't say that" he whispered into Naruto's hair. "You're never useless. To me you're the most important person in the world. Remember that."

Naruto nodded into Sasuke's chest and pushed himself closer to him, both of them feeling as though they could stay in that position until time itself ended.

Outside, three figures were watching the touching scene.

Ron's jaw was hanging. "Are they…?"

Hermionie gave him a punch on the arm. "Leave them alone!"

Harry smiled as he watched the happy sight.

* * *

Next chapter- Christmas is around the corner! Next chapter the Konoha nin will travel to the Burrow where they will meet mischievious gnomes and sasuke-like ghouls! As well as some more unpleasant things...


	10. The Festive Season

Mwuhaha! I hope you all like this. I'm about halfway through the story now i think. I'd like to thank everyone who's been reading and staying with the story. Thank You! Arigatou Gozaimasu!

" "- talking

' '- thinking

**" "- kyuubi/inner sakura**

* * *

It was the morning that they were to all head for the Burrow. Everyone was already down waiting at the station except for Naruto. He'd had night shift, and so still hadn't packed. Presently, he was in the dorm picking up everything as fast as he could. He finally closed his rucksack, checked his ANBU gear and then ran out the tower and down the stairs. 

Unfortunately, he ran into Umbridge.

Naruto stayed standing, but Umbridge was knocked backwards by the impact. Straightening up, Umbridge greeted Naruto with a snarl. "Well I see you're alright."

"Of course." He looked at her frostily.

Umbridge walked past him, then stopped and with her back still turned said - "And to think, I thought that that Dementor would be the end of you." She gave him a malevolent smile, and Naruto's eyes widened.

"It was you!" He felt the blood rush to his face as Umbridge just gave him another fake smile, and continued on her way.

Fuming, Naruto teleported himself to the station in an angry gust of chakra filled wind. Wizards and witches cowered, but Sasuke and Sakura just thought _'What's got him so mad?'_

Naruto stomped towards them, dropped his rucksack onto the ground and crossed his arms.

He accidentally caught Sasuke's eyes, and the two quickly looked away, cheeks turning pink. They could both clearly remember that embrace in the hospital wing. Both had wordlessly agreed that it was just a friendly thing, when unbeknownst to each other, both dreamed of more every night.

In a few more minutes, the scarlet train arrived. They got on, and being too sleepy to do anything, had Sakura keep watch while the rest of them slept the whole journey back to London.

* * *

Naruto smiled as Mrs Weasley gave him a peck on each cheek. The whole lot of them had just arrived at the Burrow where they intended to stay for the duration of the Christmas Holidays. 

"Thank you so much for protecting them", breathed Mrs Weasley. "You don't know how much we appreciate it! And you're so young yourselves."

The three ninja bowed to them, and Mr Weasley nodded in approval. "Well mannered and respectful. Unlike _this_ lot of animals." He jerked his thumb to where George, Fred and Ron were all transforming a poor garden gnome into a ballerina.

George appeared to have heard this comment, and he muttered something to his twin. Naruto couldn't catch it over the screams of the garden gnome, who was now dressed in a horribly short pink tutu, and trying to (unsuccessfully) cover itself. The two twins grinned evilly at him. Naruto just stared back until they were forced to avert their eyes to elsewhere.

Sasuke and Sakura went inside, checking out the house. They found it filled with wonders beyond belief, and when they expressed their shock at seeing a floor sweep itself, Mrs Weasley just laughed. She happily lent Sakura some books detailing magical healing.

"Now", said Mrs Weasley. "Since our house is nowhere near big enough for so many people, there will have to be some people sharing rooms. Harry and Naruto shall share one room, Ron and Sasuke will have another, Fred and George will be together in their normal room, and Ginny will be sharing with Hermionie and Sakura." She looked sternly at them.

No protests.

Though, two certain boys _were_ feeling somewhat disappointed.

Everyone dropped their stuff off into their rooms, and spent the rest of the evening either helping Mrs Weasley, or just mucking around. A snowball fight resulted in a lot more bruises than it should have, and also the oncomings of a cold.

An encounter between the family ghoul and Sasuke was the cause of much amusement as people witnessed the two glaring at each other with the same scowl on both faces.

They spent a little bit of time trying to teach Harry, Ron and Hermionie how to play Shougo. Harry and Ron sucked, but Hermionie managed to beat Naruto in her first game. Naruto's mutterings of 'beginners luck' subsided after Sasuke was also beaten.

They steered well clear of George and Fred's room, which was the source of several explosions which shook the house. Naruto could have sworn that he smelt a whiff of something oddly enticing in that room as he walked past…

On Christmas day, presents were the highlight of the morning. The ninjas had given the witches and wizards a set of weapons to call their own, choosing them as they thought were appropriate. Hermionie had an engraved short blade, Harry had a katana similar to the shinobi, and Ron got himself a strange half mace half thresher weapon taken from Tenten's prized collection. They'd also bought the rest of the family nice stuff they'd seen in Hogsmeade.

The shinobi were delighted with the magical trinkets they received, as well as the hand knitted jumpers from Mrs Weasley. Naruto was exceptionally happy, hugging everyone in a childish manner. Sasuke and Sakura shivered as they thought of what might be in that bag from Fred and George.

That night, Christmas dinner was a sight to behold. An impressive turkey sat at the center of the enlarged table, and surrounding it was some of Mrs Weasley's most prized recipes. Delicious roasts, pies, rolls amongst many others.

Several members of the Order had come over, and after a minor scuffle (Sakura had mistook Kingsley for an enemy and almost killed him), everyone had settled down in their seats. The Weasley family, Kingsley, Lupin and Tonks took up one side of table. Hermionie, Harry, Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura took up the other side, in that order.

A huge banner inscribed MERRY CHRISTMAS hung above, and everywhere, enchanted snowflakes fell around floating candles. A Christmas tree decorated the corner of the kitchen, wrung heavy with fairies.

The ninjas ate with vigor, sampling almost everything on the table. As they ate, they joined into the several conversations taking place.

Sakura was profusely apologizing to Kinglsey. "I'm really, really sorry Mr Kinglsey, I truly am."

Kinglsey shook his head and smiled kindly at her. "No worries. If you're that strong when you want to be, I feel comfortable having you three guard Hogwarts."

Tonks was once again entertaining the crowd with her appearance changing abilities. Never letting go of a chance to show off, Naruto grinned. "Henge!"

Several screams came as he changed, but when it cleared, all people found was that they were facing an identical copy of Harry, pouting harmlessly at them. The two twins applauded him loudly. As the real Harry looked up and down his clone in wonder, Hermionie had stood up so fast that her hand had slapped her drink, sending it flying across the table and into Ron's face.

Disregarding this, she demanded of Naruto "How could you do that without drinking a potion?" For some reason, she looked extremely flustered.

Naruto released the jutsu, and looked at her from his own blue eyes. "Simple. It'll be too difficult to explain to you though. It'll be like you trying to teach me how to cast spells without a wand. You have to be trained."

"But do you know what this means?", began Hermionie. "If these people can change their appearance so easily at will, it makes sense then that – "

Harry put a hand on Hermionie's shoulder, and pulled her back down onto her seat. "Calm down 'Mionie." Hermionie still looked worried, but she didn't say anything.

Seeming to know that he had caused some trouble, Naruto excused himself before dessert, and climbed up the 3 floors to the small room he shared with Harry.

He sat down on his bed, and buried his face in his hands. As he felt misery reach out to him, a face swam before him. _" …you're the most important person in the world…" _

He defiantly pulled his head back up. In his eyes were reflected the billions of stars outside in the dark night sky. _'That's right. He cares. And that's all that matters.' _He nodded to himself.

A flash of red from the window to his left forced him out of his trance and onto the ceiling. A stunning curse flew past him and shattered a vase, shards flying from both the fractured window and the broken vase. He twisted around and looked out the window to see 5 figures outside on the white landscape, all aiming their wands directly at him. _'I am not in the mood for this...'_

He heard running on the stairs, and knew that the others would soon be there. _'Better finish this off quickly then._'

Jumping out the window, he flipped in the air and landed on the snow with barely any sound at all. His opponents were masked with the white masks that Dumbledore had described. Naruto smirked as he realized he had no need to hold back on these people.

"Why are you here?"

A male voice came from one of the people. "To kill you."

Naruto shook his head, bemused. "And you think you can?"

As the Death Eater's took aim, he leapt back.

He blurred through a dozen hand seals, ending on the dragon seal. "Futon: Hurricane!"

A tornado came up, surrounding Naruto. It was tinged with the blue of his chakra, expanding to a bigger and bigger size. As it blew towards the Death Eaters, huge welts were left in the ground where it passed, and trees were ripped up by the roots to fly yards up into the sky before coming crashing back down to earth.

"Protego." Naruto watched in surprise as his cutting winds blew themselves out before they could reach the enemy.

The rest of the party had arrived at the window now. As Mrs Weasley gasped, Harry crouched on the sill, preparing to jump off, but Sasuke pulled him back.

"What?" he asked angrily.

"He can handle it." Sasuke looked completely calm, so Harry stepped back, hoping to god he was right.

Beneath her mask, Bellatrix was scowling in displeasure. She wasn't pleased with having to fight a muggle. But their mission was to get rid of the ninjas and capture Potter, so be it. Hoping to gain at least some sport, she pointed her wand at Naruto's chest and said "Crucio."

She laughed cruelly as Naruto crumpled, writhing in pain, but it was replaced by a gasp of shock as he disappeared in a poof. She heard a scream, and she whipped around to see Macnair was dead on the grass beside her, his throat slit and bleeding. Her and the remaining three turned so that their backs were facing each other. "Stay alert" she snapped.

Her keen eyes scanned the darkness. Nothing.

From the trees, Naruto smirked. _'Seems like she's in charge.'_Beside him, the blood was dripping from his katana blade.

'_Where?! Where is he?!' _Her wand was pointed before her, waiting for the moment a flash of blonde would make itself known to her.

A voice came from directly behind her, startling her. It whispered maliciously in her ear. She froze in fear as the voice dripping with killer intent washed over her in waves. _"And now…we dance." _She felt her mask crack off her face as unseen forces destroyed it while managing to not lay a single scratch on her dark skin. Her face was revealed, emotions of shock and astonishment painted across it.

The voice laughed evilly, and by the time Bellatrix had turned around, both Nott and Avery were lying on the ground, decapitated. Only her and Rudolphus were left.

Bellatrix knew the game Naruto was playing. It was an act that was aimed to induce psychological damage in the opponent. But knowing this didn't make her immune. On the contrary, it made her petrified that a 17 year old boy could go to such lengths.

Something was thrown at her, and she caught it without thinking. She shrieked as she found Avery's head in her hand. The exploding tag blew up, and she was thrown back several feet onto the snow, now covered all over in blood and other…bits.

She stood and stumbled backwards away from the bodies, face pale. She stared in shock at the blood glowing on the snow. She swung her head from direction to direction, her senses blaring out to her as the veins in her body began to trickle with icy coldness.

Bellatrix was scared beyond anything in her life. This child frightened her worse than Voldemort. Far worse. He'd looked weak enough, with his stupid blonde hair and innocent looking eyes, but to think that beneath his façade….was _this._

And she hadn't even touched him yet.

She screamed as her husband was struck down, a short dagger through the back of his head. As Rudolphus fell, Naruto stepped out from behind him, pulling out the dagger as the corpse dropped to land before his feet. He stepped over the body and walked slowly towards her, wiping the blade on the back of his glove as he did.

Bellatrix backed away from Naruto, shaking her head in denial as she looked at her husband. She tripped, and fell down in an explosion of snowflakes. As Naruto was thrown into perspective by the light from the window, her eyes popped to see murderous red pupils, sharp canine teeth, and hair tinged crimson with blood. She tried to stand up, but fell straight back down, her legs too weak with fear to support her weight. She closed her eyes, waiting for the blow that would send her into oblivion. When she felt nothing, she reopened them.

Naruto gave her his foxy grin, layer upon layer of horror. He was satisfied. His games of torture never failed. He stopped 3 steps away from her. She looked up to his face, tears escaping her eyes, only mere steps away from being driven into insanity. She'd been defeated at her own game. The self proclaimed mistress of interrogation and torture had lost.

"Tell your master, that Naruto Uzumaki sends his regards." Naruto's voice was back to normal, his red eyes starting to change back to sky blue. "And next time...it'll be his turn."

Bellatrix understood that she was being spared. She nodded frantically, and with a CRACK vanished from sight. Her mind would be scarred forevermore.

Naruto revolved on the spot, and reappeared in the room behind the awestruck crowd. Ginny and Hermionie backed away, and Naruto understood why as he looked in the mirror.

He was covered in blood. His golden hair was dripping with it, clothes splattered, and there was even some still smeared across his right cheek. Mrs Weasley was as pale as a ghost. Stuttering, she waved her hand towards the left hallway. "There's a bathroom in there."

Naruto smiled. "Thank you."

They watched as he calmly collected a change of clothes from his little bag and walked to the doorway. When he was gone, Mrs Weasley collapsed on to the bed.

Sasuke thought he was about to hear her yell, curse Naruto, or to even scream that he was a monster. He certainly didn't expect to see her eyes brim with tears, and her husband put an arm around her shoulder comfortingly.

"Poor Naruto", she sobbed. "He- He…!" She burst into tears, drenching Mr Weasley's shirt. Mr Weasley looked grimly at her.

In that instant, Sasuke felt great affection towards every person in that house.

Sakura looked at him, her eyes blissful. "I'll take care of the bodies." He told her.

She nodded. It was easier for Sasuke to do that job. All he needed was a fireball, and it'd be a quick funeral by cremation.

'_What a way to spend Christmas'_ thought Harry as he watched the bodies burn.

_Couple of hours later_

Bedtime. The house was silent, aside from the occasional moans of the ghoul, and the whisperings coming from 3 rooms.

Naruto and Harry were sitting on their respective beds, backs against the wall and facing each other. Naruto was wearing blue and orange striped PJs and Harry was in an oversized shirt covering old sports pants. Harry had been about to drop off to sleep when Naruto had shook him awake. He now sat there, waiting for him to say or do something, and feeling deprived of sleep.

He was also feeling slightly jumpy around Naruto after seeing what he'd been capable of doing.

"'Sup 4 eyes?"

Harry glared. "Nothing. I was under the impression _you_ woke me up to talk. Got anything to say?"

Naruto thought for a moment, a fake look of concentration upon his face. "Actually…yes. Questions."

Harry raised his eyebrows, signaling him to continue.

"I'll be straightforward. I don't like beating around the bush." Naruto started casually sharpening his weapons as he said this. "What is the Order of the Phoenix? What are they guarding? What's up with all your nightmares, and why are you being chased by countless crazed lunatics?"

Harry almost choked. How did Naruto find out about the Order?!

Naruto looked at him in amusement as though he'd just read his mind. "We're shinobi. You can't possibly expect us to not notice such _subtle_ details." His voice dripped with sarcasm.

In the other rooms Ron, Hermionie and Ginny also gaped as they were asked the same questions. Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura had decided it was time to get themselves some answers.

* * *

The next morning, the Golden Trio were looking haughty and disgruntled as they sat at the table waiting for breakfast. The previous night had seen them being questioned for answers all the way until 3am. They'd had every piece of information they knew wrung out of them. 

Mrs Weasley placed a plate piled with fluffy golden pancakes in front of them, and looked worried when they didn't react. _'Deary me.' _She shook her head as Ron absently poked for a pancake, and got the tablecloth instead.

Outside the other three were sitting on the roof of the chicken shed. A gentle breeze blew through them, blowing their cloaks around them, and sending their hair waving.

'_Man he looks hot like that' _was what went through Sasuke's and Naruto's minds.

Sasuke asked "Did you two find out anything?"

"Yeah. That Harry gets really cranky when he's sleepy." He took off his glove and showed them a bruise on his hand. "He's learning from George and Fred. He hid what might've been bricks in a pillow and chucked it."

"Seriously Naruto", said Sakura.

"K, k, patience! Harry couldn't really tell us too much about the Order that we didn't already know. He's not in it, so yeh...but he did manage to tell us that it's run by Dumbledore."

Sakura looked at him in incredulity. "You're kidding? No offence, but isn't he a bit too old to be running a secret society for the destruction of someone?"

"Did he tell you why he's being targeted?" Sasuke asked.

Naruto moved uncomfortably. "Yes."

Sakura and Sasuke waited. "Well?"

"I- I can't tell you."

"Why not?!" Naruto avoided looking at their eyes.

"I promised him. It's his personal business. He might tell you one day."

They tried to get it out of Naruto, but he determinately kept his mouth shut and became deaf until they stopped.

Sakura sighed. "Fine, we won't force you. I managed to find out quite a bit from Hermionie about Voldemort. In fact, I found out a lot." She explained to them about his notorious plunderings 14 years before, and how he'd met his downfall by one baby. He was back, and this time to seek control of the entire wizarding world.

"That's an impressive kid." Said Sasuke. They didn't ask if he was referring to the baby or Voldemort. "Ron told me about the same stuff, although since he grew up knowing about his heritage, his version tended to be more personal."

They felt Mrs Weasley's presence come towards them, and decided their meeting was over.

* * *

'WOOT' 

Standing outside the doors of the Hogwarts Express, they all received final hugs from Mrs Weasley. They were back in their ANBU masks, not wanting to be seen by the crowd of people that were on the platform.

When it was Naruto's turn, she'd almost crushed him in her embrace, whispering "Look after yourself."

Naruto shuffled uneasily, glad of his mask. Why did it seem everyone said things like that to him? They got on, and waved to Mr and Mrs Weasley, watching as they disappeared from sight as they rounded a corner.

They managed to get a compartment with only them 6. But halfway through the journey…Malfoy arrived.

Like always, Crabbe and Goyle flanked him on either side, and he turned his straight nose down at them as he swept in.

"No one invited you" Harry said coldly.

Malfoy ignored him. He instead focused all attention on the Sennin in the carriage. He whispered dramatically "You three are doomed. The Dark Lord has had enough. Father says that it won't be long before Hogwarts is wiped off the face of the planet. And you with it."

He looked disappointed when they didn't give the reactions he wanted. Sasuke yawned.

Furious, Malfoy departed.

Ron looked anxiously at them. "Do you think he's telling the truth?"

Naruto had closed his eyes, and now opened one to look blearily at him. He gave a little jerk.

"Whats that sup-"

"Well", interrupted Sakura, "It doesn't really matter. If he was bluffing, then we couldn't care less. If he's telling the truth, we're prepared, not to mention he must be an idiot for revealing info such as that."

Sasuke and Naruto nodded agreement.

Harry found that he understood what they meant. He felt a thrill as he realized he was starting to comprehend how shinobi thought. It was all about tactics and logic. He found he liked that.

Naruto had taken out a blank scroll, and Sasuke and Sakura had crowded around it with him. Lounging on the seat, Naruto held a brush in one hand, clearly thinking hard about what to write.

"Ask them how things are?" suggested Sakura.

"Tell Kakashi to behave."

"Ask them when they'll visit?"

After a full hour of much crossing out and arguments, the completed letter was rolled up. The Golden Trio watched rapt with attention as they witnessed a summoning for the first time.

Naruto bit down hard on his thumb so as to draw blood, smeared it across the palm of his right hand, and made 5 quick hand seals. "Kuchiyose no Jutsu!" He slammed his right hand onto the carriage floor, and an explosion rocked the train.

They retreated as back into the seats as they could go as they saw a colossal toad, bigger than them!, materialize before their very eyes. The red and black toad looked around at its surroundings.

"Hey Gamatatsu", greeted Naruto. He was sitting on the toads head. His legs were dangling over its eyes, but the toad didn't seem to care. It actually seemed used to it.

"Yo." Said Sasuke.

Sakura nodded at the toad.

All eyes looked at the toad. The toad raised one webbed foot, and waved. "KONNICHIWA!"

"ARGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!"

"IT TALKED!"

The sennin and the toad covered their ears as the Golden Trio started yelling like crazy.

All along the train, people were sticking heads out of compartments. _'Who died?'_

Meanwhile, the three shinobi were trying to control the golden trio, who'd gone insane. Hermionie had pointed her wand at Gamatatsu, and was trying to cast a spell. However, all she could do was gape in terror at the humongous amphibian.

Hedwig and Pigwidgeon were hooting and flapping in their cages, while Harry and Ron were just running around flailing arms about.

"I think you better go" Naruto said to Gamatatsu. He handed him the scroll of paper. "Give this to obaachan for me."

"Roger." With another poof that clouded the compartment with smoke the toad disappeared. The ninja took this opportunity to hit the wizards and witch's pressure points. When the smoke cleared, they were standing still, unable to move a muscle.

Harry and Ron were in ridiculous positions. Harry had one leg up, about to put it down, his mouth open in a gape.

Ron was crouched on a seat, looking in horror at the space Gamatatsu had been.

And Hermionie was still in her position with her wand pointing at the space before her.

The shinobi admired their handiwork.

"They look stonered" commented Naruto.

"Are you gonna stop yelling?" Sasuke asked.

The trio blinked their eyes furiously.

"Okay then."

Quick as a serpent, Sasuke flashed between them, re-hitting the pressure points and releasing them from their imprisonment.

Ron and Harry, not being prepared for the return of gravity, fell face forwards from their awkward positions. Ron blew his fringe out of his face as he raised his head. "Not funny."

* * *

When they walked into the castle, they knew instantly something was majorly different. Students everywhere looked gloomy and depressed, and all around the walls were notices. The atmosphere felt like something you'd find in a prison. 

Fred and George went to inspect one of the notices. "Educational Decree?!" They looked at all the other ones.

"Holy cow! The hag's passed a hundred decrees or something!"

Ron read from some on his side. "No practicing magic, no organizations, no talking about Quibbler…Harry, is it just me or do these sound like their aimed at us?"

Hermionie was red with rage. "She must've found out somehow! She's doing everything she can to stop us!"

"Well I got news for her", said Harry. "She can't do anything about it. No Decree is going to stop us."

Naruto sidled over. "Since she can't have any control over us, we can do whatever we like." He did an act of grabbing a head and punching it in.

"Err Naruto?" George waved Naruto over to him. Sasuke and Sakura also followed.

George pointed to a particular decree on a notice board. The three read it together and then yelped. "WHAT?!"

_BY ORDER OF THE HIGH INQUISITOR OF HOGWARTS_

_All previous and future educational Decrees hereby apply to all ninjas/ guards within_

_Hogwarts grounds. Breaking of these rules will subject the perpetrator to the same punishment which will be performed on any student found guilty of breaking a Decree._

_The above is in accordance with Educational Decree Number Five Hundred and Seven._

_Signed: Dolores Jane Umbridge, High Inquisitor._

Naruto eyes began to shimmer dangerously between blue and red, while Sakura began cracking her knuckles. Sasuke was releasing snow from his body. Everyone backed away.

A violent explosion was heard, and dust flooded through the corridor. Students coughed and threw themselves onto the floor to avoid flying debris.

When the smoke had cleared, they could see the Great Hall. _Through_ the wall.

In their fury, the ninjas had destroyed the entire wall. Not only that, but the ground where they had stood appeared to have blown up so that there was now a crater 5 feet deep.

The might of those three together...was truly a horrifying prospect.

Harry took out his Marauder's Map, and saw the dots labeled Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura traveling at impossible speeds towards Dumbledore's office, where Umbridge and Dumbledore were both residing.

However, there was also some other people in that room. 'Dawlish' was there, as well as Kingsley for some reason. Harry's eyes grew as large as saucers as he saw the last name- 'Cornelius Fudge.'

"Hermionie, Ron! We have to get to Dumbledore's office NOW!"

* * *

Well...next chapter will be either Sunday or Monday. OH NO! ASSIGNMENTS!!!!!!!! 

Runs Cya next time!


	11. Fireworks

" "-speaking

' '-thinking

**" "- kyuubi/inner sakura**

* * *

With Sasuke and Sakura on either side of him, Naruto ran through the corridors towards Dumbledore's office. Smarter students were throwing themselves out of their way. The not so smart…were run over. 

Ahead of them was the stone gargoyle that was the entrance. It was already to the side, leaving the revolving staircase open to all.

They darted up the stairs, and already knowing that Umbridge would be on the other side of that door, they kicked it open and sent it crashing into the opposite wall.

The occupants of the room looked in surprise at the three teenagers standing in the doorway, except Dumbledore, who was looking welcomingly at them. He smiled as the three paced in, and made no move to stop them as they walked straight to Umbridge.

Umbridge was standing next to a short, plump man in a bowler hat who was looking outraged.

'_Well he can go screw himself.'_

Umbridge took one look at them and screamed "Detention! Get out NOW!"

"Go to Hell!"

Sakura was the one to lift Umbridge up by the neck and slam her into the brick wall. Dazed, she could only just hear what they said.

Naruto placed his face directly in front of hers. In a dangerous whisper, he spoke. "By all means, _subject_ us to the same punishment as your students. But that doesn't mean we'll take it. If you want to punish us, you'll have to catch us. That's never happening. However…I can't say the same about you."

He nodded to Sakura, and they watched with satisfaction as she slumped to the floor with her eyes vague, now caught in Sakura's genjutsu.

Sasuke looked annoyed. "You let her off too easy. Tsukuyomi would have been more suitable."

Harry, Hermionie and Ron decided at this moment to hurtle into the room. When Harry saw Umbridge unconscious on the floor, he slapped a hand to his forehead. _'Too late.'_

Behind them, Fudge was shrieking to the other two men in the room. He didn't seem to have noticed the Golden Trio's entrance, or was otherwise ignoring them. "Grab them! Grab them!"

Kingsley didn't move, and Dawlish was looking hesitant.

Sasuke raised an eyebrow at Fudge. "Who are you?"

Fudge drew himself up to his full height and glared at them. "I am Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic! And I hereby take you under arrest for causing bodily harm to a ministry representative!"

In a flash, he was surrounded. He stuttered as he looked up at the 3 pairs of eyes, all of them being over a head taller than he was.

"We do not belong in this country, and owe no allegiance to it." Fudge shivered under Sasuke's icy gaze. "If you take us under arrest, you are as good as declaring war on Konoha. Trust us, you don't want that. And another thing. Do you actually _see_ any harm on that pug over there? I don't think so." The minister violently nodded his head up and down.

Sakura gave him a sweet smile. "Don't worry minister. If you don't do anything to us, we won't do anything to you."

Fudge was looking outraged again. "Are you threatening-"

"Yes. We are." They stepped back from him, and stood next to the other three near the door. Or where the door had been.

Fudge had no comeback to this. So he decided to turn his attention back to what he'd previously been up to beforehand.

He looked at Dumbledore, and his face instantly changed back to one of glee. "Yes, yes, back to what I was saying. We –being the eleven governors and myself- hereby disband you from your position as Headmaster at Hogwarts. You will also follow us back to Azkaban, where you will face questioning and trial under the charges of betrayal and wanting to overthrow me!"

He looked triumphantly at Dumbledore, ignoring the furious outcries from six people.

The shinobi had drawn their katana, and the trio had taken out their wands. They pointed all these at Fudge and his Aurors. As Fudge spun around and noticed this, Dumbledore spoke- "Calm."

They lowered their weapons by an inch, but still glaring daggers.

Dumbledore now turned his clear gaze to Fudge. Fudge was now looking extremely weak at the knees.

"You believe then, all this nonsense about me wanting to overturn the Ministry?"

"You cannot deny it!", shrieked Fudge. "I have proof! A student confessed! Confessed that she was a member of a group called Dumbledore's Army!" He stabbed his finger at Harry. "And that _this_ boy is their little instructor!"

Dumbledore looked at them in confusion and shook his head. Fudge took a piece of paper from within a pocket inside his cloak and threw it on the desk in front of him. It turned out to be the paper all the members of the DA had signed. Dumbledore read it with narrowed eyes.

"You are trying to overthrow me."

"I have tried no such thing Cornelius."

A huge argument followed this, and the other 8 people in the room could only watch as each Dumbledore and Fudge retorted to each other in increasingly rising voices.

Dumbledore raised his head, and his eyes flashed. "You are deluded. You have become addicted to your power as Minister, and are no longer suitable for the post."

"Then you admit you want my position?!"

"No. Like always, I wish only to remain as Headmaster of Hogwarts. Regrettably, it seems this no longer can be so. However, you are extremely wrong if you think that I am going to follow you back to Azkaban. I have much better things to do with my time."

Fudge snorted and waved his hands to the two standing next to him. "And you think that you can overpower me, Kinglsey and Dawlish all by yourself? You are barking."

He gasped in pain as he was knocked to the floor by a powerful blow from behind by Naruto. Another brutal kick to the stomach and he was out cold. Naruto looked coldly down at the motionless figure.

Dawlish yelled as a curse from Harry sent him flying 10 feet backwards to land sprawled out before Dumbledore's feet.

Kingsley looked from his fallen comrades to them. "You shouldn't have done that."

They shrugged.

"They won't know it was us", said Naruto. "He's pretty paranoid that Dumbledore would be the first person for his head."

"Professor." Harry looked desolately at Dumbledore. "What are you going to do?"

Ron and Hermionie nodded, looking just as miserable as Harry.

Dumbledore walked over to them, and then crouched down so that he could look at them on level ground. With his gentle voice, he soothed them. "Don't worry about me. The Ministry shall never be able to capture me. At least, not alive they can't. I will stay with the Order from now on. If you wish to contact me, send your letters to Sirius at Grimmauld Place."

"Kingsley, if you can, inform Tonks and Arthur."

Kinglsey nodded.

Dumbledore's next sentence was directed completely at Harry. "Harry…I apologize (everyone else was confused at this point) for the horrible year you've been having so far, but make sure, that you don't do anything reckless."

He straightened himself and Fawkes flew over to hover above him. He pointed his wand at the figures on the ground, muttering "Obliviate".

He then placed a hand on Fawkes tail feathers. "You should leave before they awaken. They will not remember you were ever here. I will always be at Hogwarts for those who need me." And with a flash of fire and one last wane smile, he disappeared.

* * *

The news of Dumbledore's departure had reached every student in the school within the hour. The Slytherins took it with smirks and cheers, while the rest of the school brooded in condemned silence. 

Cornelius instantly made Umbridge Headmistress, and then departed under the illusion he had an important meeting off somewhere in Africa. Six figures watched from the castle roof as he hurried out the front gates and into a carriage.

Harry was eyeing him with murderous eyes. Beside him, Hermionie nudged him gently. He moved slightly, realizing that they were all looking at him anxiously.

"I'm alright…"

"No your not." Harry flicked his attention to Naruto, sitting with the other two on the very edge. "None of us are alright while that bitch is Headmistress."

Inside, Harry was roaring approval. He forced his voice to stay composed though. "…What are you saying we do then?"

Naruto and Sakura grinned evilly, while a scary smirk was spreading across Sasuke's handsome features. The will to cause damage and pain was shining in their eyes. "We get rid of her."

"You can't go off killing Ministry representatives!"

"We're not gonna kill her Ron. Just make her rule as much of a living hell as possible so that she wants to leave. Although I admit, I'd much prefer to send her straight down _to_ Hell, but since you object…"Naruto shrugged.

Harry didn't object, but he somehow figured that killing Umbridge wasn't going to be as clean as he'd want it. "What's your bright idea?"

"Like I said before. Even if there is a thousand Decrees trying to restrict us, she can't lay a single finger on us unless we allow it. And since there's no way on Earth that's ever going to happen, we are free to cause as much chaos as we want."

On Hermionie's face there was an unfamiliar expression of rebelliousness. "When do we start?"

Sasuke's ebony black eyes fixed themselves on hers. "Tonight."

_Dinner in the Great Hall---_

They ate in silence, concentrating on their surroundings and on Umbridge sitting at the teacher's table before them.

Harry put a piece of chicken in his mouth, and slid his eyes upwards so that he could see where the Sennin were up in the rafters. They were sitting near the left wall, calmly waiting for the right moment.

That opportunity came 5 minutes into dinner. McGonogall rolled her eyes as she tapped the glass with a fork, calling the rest of the Hall to attention.

Umbridge stood up, and graced (ahem) them all with her smile. Many gags came from the Gryffindor table. She paid these no attention and opened her mouth to speak…

And was interrupted by a knocking on the doors.

She frowned, and tried starting again. Once more, there was knocking on the doors. Students began grinning.

"Someone open that door!" When no one did, she gave a cry of anger, and went to the doors herself. Climbing down from the raised platform the teachers were on, she stomped to the huge doors and placed a hand on each handle.

Up above, the smiling ninjas tightened their grips on several cords.

The DA members sneaked to each corner of the room, seeking shelter from what was to come. Harry blushed when he found himself standing with Cho.

As the oaken doors began to swing open, several things happened in quick succession.

Naruto and co pulled the cords in their hands, the DA members went down with hands over their heads, and the doors were slammed open as a huge mob entered.

Plenty of screaming echoed throughout the Hall as huge toads, snakes and slugs rolled over Umbridge and into the room. At least a hundred of each leapt or slithered their way around, eating the food, destroying the furniture, spitting _acid_ and then heading through the doorways to the other corridors.

Fireworks courtesy of Fred and George were exploding on all levels of the Hall so that students were cowering and running away from the huge sparkling constellations chasing them. Fred and George were also setting off some more into the crowd from where they were standing.

"Hey, look!" Sakura pointed to the doors, where several large foxes had entered. She laughed. "I guess you attracted them." The foxes had jumped onto the tables and were devouring food and snapping their jaws at the students close to them.

Naruto cackled at the chaos, and then decided that it wasn't enough. He jumped onto a rafter so that he was directly over the middle of the Hall, and yelled- "Suiton: Dragon Flood!"

From the gaps in the rafters around him, water exploded down. Students looked upwards as they heard the noise, and screamed as what looked like a tsunami came upon them.

Harry gaped.

The water fell like a waterfall to go crashing down onto all their heads. At least 5 meters deep to begin with, students were swept in a whirlpool around the Hall, some being carried out nearby doors or into the corridors by the flow. Harry watched as Snape was swept outside, his robes billowing out around him.

The fireworks sizzled, and began exploding even more violently so that scorch marks appeared all over the walls and floor. Poor Neville was hit by a firework on the head, so that his feet were soaking while his hair was on fire.

Harry caught onto a table edge as the water began subsiding and spat out a stream of water. _'Mental note: Kill Naruto.'_ He waded quickly out of the way of a huge firework that came an-exploding in his direction.

Hermionie and Ron had grabbed onto a suit of amour which was trying as hard as it could to stay rooted to its spot. Everywhere, students were crawling weakly to their feet.

The floor was an utter mess. It was muddy with dirt and mushed up food. With each step Harry took, his shoes gave a horrible 'squelch'.

Umbridge was standing some meters away from Harry near the entrance to one of the corridors. Her wig was crooked, and her eyes bulged madly. She took out her wand and pointed it at the ceiling. "IMPEDIMENTA!" she screamed.

Her spells all missed, flying yards away from their intended targets. Umbridge stopped sending useless spells, and took a quavering breath, trying to calm herself down.

Naruto stuck his tongue out.

Umbridge made a hand movement that Harry had seen before with Bellatrix. He pulled his wand out, but knew that he'd never be able to stop her in time. "Cruc-"

KABAAM

Umbridge was sent flying forwards onto the Ravenclaw table by Gamatatsu. The huge toad punched the air in triumph, then hopped off to wreak havoc in other parts of the school.

Umbridge feebly raised her head up from the pudding she was immersed in and looked at the ceiling. Naruto's victorious face looked insultingly down at her, the blue eyes sparkling in delight.

With students panicking all around her, Umbridge stood. Her knees shook with the effort as she stood on the table. But before she could say anything or cast another spell at them, the ninjas had disappeared.

She spun on the spot, trying to find them. But all she saw was her drowned school and the work that would be needed to clean it all up. She gave a long howl of fury.

* * *

Mini versions of the fireworks in the Hall exploded above them in the Room of Requirement. Everyone in the DA cheered. Fred and George bowed to the crowd as they were congratulated on their successful creations. Luna, Ginny, Cho and some Hufflepuff guys returned moments later with their arms loaded with food from Hogsmeade. 

As chatter broke out amongst everyone Harry walked over to where the ninja were quietly conversing. Sakura smiled at him as he approached. "Hello Harry."

Harry smiled sincerely back at them. "Thank You."

The three looked at each other in surprise then back at Harry. Naruto stood next to Harry and placed one hand on his shoulder. "No worries. That hag's as annoying to us as she is to you. And besides, since there hasn't been anything much else happening around here, might as well do something to pass the time." A giddy smile graced his pretty-boy features, and Harry noted there was definitely a pinkish hue to Sasuke's cheeks.

"Naruto buddy!" Fred and George had come over and were now slapping Naruto on the back. "We raise our hat to you. Who would've thought we'd meet our match in a muggle?"

George shook his head. "We're losing our touch."

Naruto didn't say anything, instead just giving his fox like grin. He could smell that enticing scent again…that one he'd smelt back outside Fred and George's room at the Burrow. His head felt funny…

Hermionie and Ron now came over, Ron with a bottle of stolen butterbeer in one hand. He looked at Naruto and stopped in his tracks, his gaze disconcerting. "What happened to your eyes?"

Everyone looked at Naruto's eyes. They had changed to red.

Sasuke stood frozen. _'Oh crap, oh crap , oh crap, how do we explain this to them?!'_

Sakura's face was panicked as she frantically looked Naruto up and down, as though looking for any other changes. **"AAAHHHHH!!!!!!!"**

Hermionie was gathering all these observations of their behavior, beginning to feel that there was something major that was being kept from them.

"Huh? What's up with my eyes?" Naruto looked quizzically at everyone, and then gave a funny half totter to Sakura. He giggled into her hair. "Sakura-chan, what's wrong with my eyes?"

Sakura looked as perplexed as everyone else.

Naruto then leapt into Sasuke's arms, hugging the blushing boy full around the middle and snuggling up to his neck. "Sasuke, Sasuke, there's nothing wrong with my eyes is there? You like them right?"

"Err…"

Naruto closed his eyes and smiled cutely, before falling backwards onto the cushions on the floor, seemingly asleep. He curled himself up, placing his head onto his hands. The girls 'awwwed'.

Sasuke looked at Sakura. "What's wrong with him?" he demanded. Sure, he'd liked being hugged and snuggled by Naruto, but he'd much prefer it if it wasn't a half-drunken Naruto.

Sakura shook her head, looking at the sleeping boy. He stayed where he was. "I don't know. I haven't ever seen symptoms like this in any patient, but…I've seen it in certain animals."

Sasuke gave her an almost dangerous look. "What do you mean _animals_?"

Sakura looked desperately at the mini crowd around her. They were all paying her all of their attention. She whispered- "Foxes."

'_Why's she whispering?'_

Sasuke reeled in shock. Ignoring the questioning looks by everyone around him, he grabbed Sakura's wrist and pulled her away to the corner. Harry looked down at Naruto, whom was now sucking his thumb.

Fred glanced in irritation at the two now standing on the other side of the small room. "What aren't we allowed to know?"

He looked at his twin. "Give em here George." George started digging around in his pockets for something.

Hermionie's eyes widened as she saw the flesh colored string get handed out. "What are you doing?! You can't listen to people's private conversations!"

"Oh cmon Hermionie, you weren't so sure when we were back at Grimmauld Place in the holidays." Ron looked pleadingly at her.

Her heart melted. "Oh…I suppose." She took one of the strings.

"Good." Harry placed one end in his own ear. "And also, this is regarding Naruto's health. We're friends and so I want to know if anything is wrong."

They all nodded agreement.

"Go" whispered Fred.

The Extendable Ears wormed their way under a table piled with food and over to the side of the table where Sasuke and Sakura were standing. It stopped just before the tablecloth, out of sight.

The voices loud and clear in their ears told them that it had worked.

Sakura's voice sounded very professional. "I've seen it in foxes before, where if they smell or eat certain plants, then it'll act as a stimulant which causes changes in levels of chemicals in the mind, which in turn will cause abnormal behavior or, in Naruto's case, changes in appearance as well. There must be foxglove or the likes somewhere in this room."

George whistled. "Oops. There's foxglove in the fireworks."

Sasuke's voice was heavy with worry. "But he's not an animal. Why would it take over like this?" A moment's silence. Sasuke looked sharply at Sakura. "Sakura. What aren't you telling me?"

A halt. After a growl from Sasuke a trembling voice came. "Shishou's told me…that both her and Jiraiya-sama think…that the seal is weakening." With each word, her voice had grown quieter, so that on the ends of the Extendable Ears, they had to strain to catch it.

Even from across the room that could see the look on Sasuke's face. A combination of worry, revelation, and grief. The wizards all wondered.

"What will happen to him?", Sasuke managed to say.

Sakura's voice was coming in sobs now. "They're not sure, but…"

"Tell me!"

"Shishou and Jiraiya-sama think he'll die when it breaks!"

The eavesdroppers all stood stunned. The next sentence barely registered in their minds, and the only word they could catch was 'Kyuubi.'

When they'd snapped out of it, the conversation was almost over.

"Sasuke-kun…don't worry too much. Shishou is only guessing. Naruto's strong, he'll never give up."

Sasuke didn't reply. He instead walked away, back towards where the eavesdroppers were all now hastily stuffing pieces of string back into George's pockets.

They put on innocent faces.

"What's wrong with Naruto? asked Harry. He tried to look as though he hadn't just heard his friend might die. The others weren't capable of talking yet.

"He's – Where is he?!" Sasuke twisted his head around frantically.

"Huh?" They all looked down to the stack of cushions. To see Naruto was gone.

Sakura was wiping her eyes with her hands. "Sasuke-kun?"

"Naruto's gone!" And with that, he vanished from the room.

"What?!" Sakura was about to follow him, but Harry held her back.

"Wait. I can help find him."

She looked in awe as he unfolded the Marauder's Map.

_Meanwhile----_

"Baka, where are you?"

Sasuke was running through the castle at such speeds that the human eye couldn't see him. Not that there was anyone to see. It was well into the night, and any normal person would be off in dreamland by then.

Past the astronomy tower, past the divination room, past the greenhouses.

His heart was sick with worry over what might happen to Naruto in his present state. He agonized at thoughts of him falling off a tower or of running into enemies. Or worse, perverts.

'_Please be alright.'_

After 5 more minutes, it seemed that he had already sped through every area of the school 2 times over. He stood on the tip of one of the towers. _'Where the heck?!'_

One of the waving flags at the Quidditch Pitch caught his eye. _'I haven't checked the pitch yet!'_

He disappeared from the top of the tower and in a rush of wind was standing on the edge of the grassy oval in the Quidditch pitch.

He looked around, and in the moonlight coming straight above from the cloudless sky, he saw Naruto.

He was standing very still in the center of the pitch. He was looking up, craning his neck to see the stars above. Sasuke looked exasperated, wondering if he'd come out just to go star gazing.

He trudged thought the soft grass to Naruto, pissed that Naruto had run out without telling anyone. He grabbed Naruto's shoulders and shook him very slightly. "What do you think you're doing?!"

Naruto turned very slowly to face him. "Sasuke", he whispered. He placed a hand on Sasuke's cheek, caressing it. Sasuke felt his temperature rise, but determinedly kept up a tough interrogation type voice.

"What are you doing out here?"

Naruto threw back his head and laughed happily. He didn't reply, instead choosing to sit down and continue his star gazing. He laid on his back, head on hands. His unfocused eyes wandered dreamily over the constellations, the traces of his laugh still on his face.

'_He thinks this is a dream' _Sasuke realized.

He silently lowered himself onto the ground next to Naruto. Naruto didn't make any movement or acknowledgement. At least an hour passed, still in silence. The silence was driving Sasuke insane.

"Naruto."

Naruto sighed. He looked sideways at Sasuke, and Sasuke saw with thankfulness that his eyes had returned to sky blue. "I really do love you" Naruto murmured.

Nothing could've prepared Sasuke for this. He bolted upright, staring at Naruto. A huge explosion of emotions began occurring, and the warmest feeling began blossoming through his chest. _'Did he say...?'_

Naruto also pulled himself up, and cocked his head to one side. A bittersweet smile edged along his mouth. "What am I saying…? Even in my dreams…"

He made to stand up and leave, but as he did…

Sasuke grabbed his hand, and with a tug had pulled him back down and towards him.

Naruto clumsily fell into Sasuke's embrace, and before he knew it, Sasuke had crushed their lips together into an intense kiss. Wide eyed, Naruto felt a tear roll down his cheek. He touched it with his forefinger. Not his tear. _'Sasuke…?'_

He returned the kiss, both of them savoring it and remembering it, locking it into their memories so that they could keep it forevermore.

A few minutes later, they finally pulled apart. Sasuke whispered "I love you too…"

Naruto's face was content. His golden-red hair blew peacefully, his sapphire eyes began to close as the exhilarating effects of the Foxglove left him. Sasuke smiled as Naruto fell asleep in his arms.

'_Dobe.'_ He wondered if he would remember in the morning.

---------------------------

They waited for them in the Gryffindor Common Room, knowing they would return. It was now only Sakura, Harry, Hermionie and Ron. All the other people had left ages ago for sleep. Ron was leaning his head on Hermionie's shoulder with his eyes closed, drooling slightly from one edge of his lip. Hermionie was smiling ever so slightly down at his face. She had a lot to think about. What was wrong with Naruto? And what was Kyuubi?

Harry was sitting on an armchair, still observing the Marauder's Map like he'd done since Sasuke had left the Room of Requirement.

They'd seen Naruto at the Quidditch Pitch on it, and watched as Sasuke's dot had darted from place to place on the map. He'd finally reached the Quidditch Pitch, and they'd watched as the two dots stayed there for the next hour.

It'd taken awhile, but Harry had managed to persuade Sakura to stay put. It was surprising for him to find out that she didn't know about the feelings Naruto and Sasuke harbored for each other. It'd seemed so painstakingly obvious to him. He decided that he didn't want to be the one enlighten Sakura.

He looked nervously to where Sakura was sitting cross-legged on the rug. She was looking pretty frustrated…half the rug was lying in pieces next to her.

What he was fearing happened 10 seconds later.

Sakura stood up. "That's it! I'm looking for them!" She began walking to the portrait hole.

"Wait!", Harry said recklessly. He looked at the map. "They're coming back!"

This was indeed true. According to the map, the two were heading back to Gryffindor Tower from the pitch at a very slow pace.

20 more minutes of Sakura's frustration later, the portrait hole swung open. Sakura was about to go and punch the both of them when she saw Naruto was unconscious on Sasuke's back. Sasuke looked warningly at them and they all stayed quiet. Sakura stood to the side as Sasuke headed past her.

He crossed the room and began walking up the stairs to the dorms with Naruto still on his back.

Hermionie shook Ron awake. "They're back."

Ron rubbed his eyes and looked sleepily up at them all. "Excellent. Can we sleep now?"

The 4 of them walked up the staircase. At the front of the girls room, Harry and Ron bid Sakura and Hermionie goodnight, then kept on walking up to their own room. Ron groaned. "Why is it that the guys have to walk further than the girls?"

Inside, Seamus, Neville and Dean were all still peacefully sleeping. Sasuke had placed Naruto onto his bed, and was now pulling the covers up to his chin.

Ron and Harry watched from the door as Sasuke swept Naruto's locks from his eyes, and they registered the lovey dovey look on his face which they often saw when Fleur was with Bill.

Ignoring the audience, Sasuke changed into his pajamas and slipped into his own bed. A "Good night" came from him.

"'Night" muttered Ron and Harry.

* * *

Last update for awhile because ive got 3 assignments due this week. Sorry. Please review! Bai bai 


	12. A Normal Day

There might be some spoilers here for people who haven't read recent chapters of Naruto Shippuden.

" "- talking

' '- thinking

**" "- Kyuubi/Inner Sakura**

* * *

"Owww. My head…" Naruto squinted in the bright light coming into the room and felt a stabbing pain in the back of his head. It felt exceedingly similar to that time he'd managed to get drunk on a trip with Jiraiya, and woken up the next morning with a nasty hang over. 

He looked around the room and saw he was the only person still in bed. It was a school day, so Harry, Ron, Seamus and Dean had all gone off to lessons already. He rolled over in his bed and checked the clock on the drawers and groaned. It was already 11 am. _'Just how drunk _was _I?'_

He climbed out of bed and began changing into his ANBU gear. They were freshly laundered and were sitting in a pile on a stool next to his bed. He assumed that it was the house elves that'd changed him and washed his clothes for him.

His brow furrowed while he tried to remember what had happened the previous night. As he unbuttoned his shirt and began slipping it off, the memories slowly began resurfacing one by one. _'We were in the Room of Requirement. And then…there was a strange smell or something. I was feeling really happy, and then I…'_ He halted mid-reach for his black shirt. _'OH MY GOD!'_

He screamed into the room. "OH KAMI! I HUGGED SASUKE!"

"That's not all dobe."

"Huh?" He swung his head around and finally noticed Sasuke. _'How the hell did I not see him?!' _

Sasuke was sitting on the window ledge and was reading through yet another one of those books. His eyes were now gazing up at Naruto through his black hair, and he smirked wickedly at him. He took in the exposed chest, the tan muscles, and that beautiful look of confused innocence on the blonde's face. _'So hot…'_

Naruto stared at him. Sasuke stared back. And then Naruto's mind caught up with his mouth. _'Did I say that OUT LOUD before?!'_

His face as red as Ron's hair, Naruto stuttered "Wha-What do you mean that's not all?"

Sasuke sighed and closed _Wizarding Genealogy_. He placed the book on the ledge, stood up and walked across the room, stopping with his arms crossed in front of Naruto. He was too close. Naruto's temperature began rising to hazardous levels. Sasuke inclined his head and asked "You seriously don't remember?"

Naruto shook his head, getting more baffled by the second. "Remember what?"

Sasuke now grinned evilly at Naruto, the look of a hungry predator in his eyes. Naruto shivered, his shirt still in his hands.

"Since you don't remember", drawled Sasuke. "I'll remind you."

A flash of black and Sasuke had grabbed Naruto, pulled him towards him, thrown the shirt to one side and placed one hand on the back of his head and pushed their lips together.

Ignoring Naruto's little gasp of surprise, Sasuke kissed fiercely. Naruto's befuddled senses moved lazily over each other, only one single thing getting through to him- those lips against his own.

As Naruto stood limp with shock and puzzlement in Sasuke's grasp, he finally remembered. He remembered being under the stars on the Quidditch Pitch. He saw Sasuke walking towards him, and then they'd lain down next to each other on the grass. He remembered Sasuke crushing their lips together just like now, and Sasuke saying that he…_loved him._ He loved him!

Naruto pulled Sasuke even closer and tightened his hold around him. He deepened the kiss, both of them reveling in the feel of the others soft lips. He opened his mouth and Sasuke's tongue entered, both of them now clinging desperately to each other.

Sasuke loved the feeling of Naruto's silky skin against his own. He saw the joy on Naruto's face, and felt his own. They stood there for an age, the kiss going on…and on…and on…

Finally, Naruto broke it. He looked into Sasuke's eyes and saw there all those emotions he'd wanted for his entire life.

Love, care, worry, sadness- all on his behalf. His own love for Sasuke and the gratitude he felt began to overflow. "Thank you – "

Sasuke placed a finger onto Naruto's lips, hushing him. A rare smile given only for his sake was on his face. "Don't say thank you." He cooed. He ran his fingers through the gold hair. "I'd give anything to you without another thought." He nuzzled against Naruto's neck and sucked on the skin near his collarbone. When he retreated, he'd left a bright red mark.

Words escaped Naruto. They just looked at each other, and that was enough. Just seeing each others faces, and knowing that this wasn't all just some fantastical dream was plenty adequate.

After a few minutes, Naruto sneezed and broke the atmosphere. Sasuke laughed gingerly while Naruto sniffled sheepishly and began pulling on the long-forgotten shirt. "See, this is what happens when you won't let me put my clothes on. Pervert."

Sasuke breathed on Naruto's neck, having learned that this area was extremely sensitive. "Ahh…but I've already seen much more than this." In answer to Naruto's face, he smirked again. "Who do you think helped you change?"

Naruto gaped wordlessly at him as Sasuke strapped on his katana, gave him one more seductive look and went down the stairs.

* * *

Their make-out session had gone well past lunch break. Sasuke walked down the stone steps and headed to the edge of the Forbidden Forest where he knew Harry now had a Care of Magical Creatures class. A little inside the Forest, he found them assembled in a clearing. Dappled light carpeted the mossy ground from the gaps in the canopy. 

Sakura was already there, and so was the entire class. Sakura looked questioningly at him but otherwise didn't comment on his lateness. Hagrid nodded to show he saw him and then continued with his explanation to the class.

"Anyhow, today, we'll be learnin' 'bout Thestrels" he boomed.

Hagrid stopped talking as a rush of wind blew past him. Naruto was now standing between Sakura and Sasuke, a hand on the back of his head and looking apologetically at Hagrid.

Slightly annoyed, Hagrid tried again. "Thestrels" -he paused for added effect- "can only be seen by those who have seen _death_."

The shinobi rolled their eyes as the students around them began talking in fearful whispers.

Hagrid took a huge piece of bloody meat from a table sized bucket and then held it high in the air. They waited.

Naruto wrinkled his nose as he smelt the putrid odour wafting from the meat. It must have been left for _days_ to stink that bad.

Hagrid noticed his expression. "Ahh, you must be copping it pretty bad. That's right. This is from the carcass of a cow left in the sun for 5 days." Several retching sounds went through the Year 5s.

"Now, it should only be a lil longer…" Hagrid began whistling.

Harry nudged Hermionie and pointed to some bushes. Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura followed the direction he was looking at and then took a few steps back, their eyes transfixed with horror on the fleshless horse that was emerging.

They took another step back as the creature edged closer towards the meat. "Ahh, here's one" said Hagrid. "And here comes some more."

And sure enough, more of them were coming from all around the clearing, emerging like phantoms from the undergrowth and soundlessly trotting towards the meat. Sakura flinched as one brushed it's side against her arm. "It's scaly…"

The students that couldn't see them were being knocked over by invisible force fields. Hagrid chucked all the meat from the bucket into the center of the clearing and the Thestrels began to fall upon it, ripping it with beaky mouths and gulping it down greedily.

Hagrid then clapped his hands together. "Now then. Who here can see em?"

The sennin nodded at him, still eyeing the Thestrels with repulsion. Harry and 3 other students put their hands up.

Hagrid looked grimly at them all. "You've all seen someone die." It was a statement.

The people who couldn't see were staring at the people who could, as though they'd be able to glimpse the Thestrels somehow by looking through them. A few glares from Sasuke shook off all eyes on them three. Naruto chuckled and received a small dig in the ribs from Sasuke.

Sakura gave them a look of bewilderment, but turned back to face Hagrid when he began talking again. "OK! Which one outta you seven would like to ride one?"

Naruto froze in the middle of trying to elbow Sasuke back. All seven being addressed stared at Hagrid with their jaws hanging down. Was he insane? Ride THAT?!

Hagrid motioned to Harry, ignoring the look on his face which said plain as day _'not me'_. "Here Harry, you go. It's almost the same as riding Buckbeak, 'cept you don't need all the manners."

Ron pushed Harry forward, then took a step back and looked pointedly away when Harry glared.

"Approach him slowly…" Harry secretly thought he didn't want to approach at all, but it was Hagrid…he couldn't let him down.

Harry walked towards the Thestrel which threw back its lank mane as he approached. The Slytherins 'oohed' in anticipation of seeing Harry get attacked. Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura stood poised, ready to act should anything happen.

They watched as Harry climbed onto the things back and reluctantly took a fistful of its mane. Hagrid hit the Thestrel hard on the rump and it began running after giving an earsplitting whinny.

It blew past them and 20 meters out of the clearing it spread it's bat-like wings and launched itself into the sky. As they heard Harry's yells fade away into the distance, they sweat dropped as they noticed Hagrid was talking like nothing was happening.

"Thestrels have an excellent sense of direction", he informed them. He absently waved a hand to where the Thestrel was now bolting up and down in the air with Harry hanging on for dear life. "Give them the address and they can take you just about anywhere. But if you can't see 'em I'd advise you not to try riding."

'_It doesn't matter how good their sense of direction is if you die before you get there' _thought Sasuke as the Thestrel did a backwards roll through a cloud.

"HARRY! TELL HIM TA COME DOWN!" Hagrid's shout left the guards standing in momentary trauma, his voice ringing through their brains.

3 minutes later Harry was back on solid ground and as pale as a ghost. He stumbled to meet the rest of his class, hitting Ron on the arm when he laughed. Draco was sneering. "You look like a dead man walking Potter."

As Hagrid began leading the Thestrels away with another piece of meat, the rest of the class departed.

The 6 went off to their favorite spot on the roof of the Astronomy Tower and took pleasure in just relaxing on the warm tiles. Very soon, Hermionie, Ron and Sakura were asleep.

Harry watched as Naruto and Sasuke would give each other little smiles when they thought no one else would notice. He snorted and they turned.

"What?" asked Naruto.

Caught, Harry said as casually as possible "Nothing."

Sasuke looked suspiciously at him but let it be.

Letting out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding, Harry turned his attention to what was happening down below.

Students were milling around like normal and there was Hagrid, carrying a huge bag no doubt filled with food for Grawp.

However, at the gates, there was something out of place.

Harry frowned at 3 figures who opened the gates and began walking the path up to the school. He started when he saw white masks beneath their hoods.

"GUYS! DEATH EATERS!"

Even the students in the quad down below could hear him. They began screaming and panicking at the feared word and started scuttling up the steps into the castle.

'_Oops.'_

The others stood up and were next to Harry on the reeves in an instant. As Hermionie gasped and Ron moaned, Naruto looked at them and said "Stay here."

Harry's heart skipped a beat as they jumped. They sped down the wall of the castle, and leapt when they were 100 meters above the ground to land in the midst of the chaos without any noise at all. They began running towards the fast approaching Death Eaters.

As the shinobi ran, they put on their masks and pulled out their weapons. With a hand seal they disappeared.

The three intruders stopped as the ANBU appeared before them in a cloud of swirling smoke.

Both groups stopped before they could reach the other. They looked each other up and down. The three intruders were wearing long robes with a khaki cloak thrown over. Their hoods covered their heads so that all that could be seen was the masks.

Naruto snarled "Haven't you learnt you can't win against us yet?"

They didn't answer. Instead, one of them –the one in the middle- began cackling. His body was racked with convulsions as he laughed.

Naruto whipped his katana in front of him and hissed. "What's so funny?"

A menacing girl's voice came from the smallest figure. "Look underneath the underneath…ANBU Captain, Uzumaki Naruto."

His eyes widened in shock. _'How…?'_

And much faster than a witch or wizard could ever move, their opponents had thrown their 'wands' to the side and disappeared.

"**Behind you!"**

"Ah!" Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura turned, but they were too late to avoid the kunai and shuriken which came at them. There were at least 100 projectiles. Caught unawares, they were hit by several before they jumped up out of the volley.

Grimacing, Naruto pulled a kunai out his arm below his ANBU tattoo, and then chucked it hastily when he saw the explosive note sizzling.

The shock waves that followed threw them onto the ground. They slowly picked themselves up, piecing together what was happening.

These were no Death Eaters. They were shinobi, cunningly disguised so as to catch them off guard. _'They even didn't use jutsu to hide themselves so that we wouldn't sense the chakra...'_

As Naruto's healing wounds began to smolder, the three figures took off their masks and pulled their hoods back.

Sasuke felt his blood run cold as he recognized them. _'Karin…Suigetsu…Juugo.'_

Karin stabbed a finger at Naruto and yelled "You made Sasuke-kun leave us! I'll kill you!" Naruto gave her a poisonous glare. _'Freaking fan girl.'_

Suigetsu bared his shark-like teeth at Sasuke. "You left us for _these_ weaklings? And here I was thinking you were something special. What makes them better than us?" He held his hand open and Zabuza's gigantic sword was suddenly swinging in an arc around him.

Karin and Juugo jumped away. "Watch it you idiot!" screamed Karin.

Suigetsu disregarded her. "I'll make sure you hear them scream", he whispered to Sasuke. "And that you know that you're the person who brought this fate upon them."

"How did you find us?" spat Sasuke.

"Oh…a little help from an old _friend_."

"Who?"

Suigetsu raised his blade and began hurtling towards Sasuke. "I'll tell you before I kill you!"

Karin and Juugo both pelted towards Naruto, who quickly ran his right thumb along the blood on his left arm and made some seals.

"Kuchiyose no Jutsu", he said quietly. He slammed a hand onto the earth, and a gigantic toad half the size of Gamabunta appeared, towering over the battlements.

From the roof Harry, Ron and Hermionie spluttered and ran backwards as the toad looked at them from its humongous eye.

Naruto disappeared from the ground and reappeared on its head. He gave a salute to them. His next sentence was intended at at the toad. "Crush them!" he roared.

The green and brown toad brought a hand speeding down towards Juugo, who jumped just in time to avoid it.

Karin took out a scroll and summoned a long, sharp pike and was about to stab the toad when Sakura punched her on the side of the head. The pike left her hands and Karin went spinning into the trunk of a tree.

She wiped a trickle of blood from her mouth as she stood up, grabbing the tree for support. "You'll pay for that bitch!" She vanished from sight. Sakura started with surprise. _''She's as fast as Naruto and Sasuke!'_

She dodge a flashing kunai, but a kick from behind sent her flying forwards into the dirt. A foot came crashing down on her back and she coughed blood, feeling a rib break.

From his hand-to-hand battle with Juugo on the toads head, Naruto saw. He shoved Juugo out of the way and flickered over her. He grabbed Karin's foot as she was about to give another kick, and then chucked her at the castle. Her head hit first, and she slid comically down to the ground. Rubble rained down, covering her unconscious body from sight.

"Thank you Naruto."

Naruto took her hand and pulled her up. She began to heal her rib, wincing with the pain.

"DON'T IGNORE ME!"

Juugo was covered in cursed seal marks, and his speed and strength had increased dramatically. Drawing back his fist, he punched the ground with power that put Sakura to shame and watched as it exploded open. The toad was gone in a puff of smoke as it was swallowed up by a crack 4 times its width.

The same crack continued ripping forwards towards Sakura and Naruto. Using substitution, they transported themselves next to the fountain in the quad.

Juugo raised his fist, preparing for another punch.

"Petrificus Totalus!" The spell hit him on the head, and he teetered over. The curse marks began to recede.

Harry, Ron and Hermionie were running towards them from the oak doors.

"I told you to stay up there!"

"That's _our_ grounds they're destroying!"

Together they raised their wands at Suigetsu, still trying to hit Sasuke with his sword. The two were standing in a crater pockmarked with the scars of parried swipes and jutsus. Both were concentrating so hard that they didn't notice when three different streams of light hit Suigetsu on the back. He toppled, now covered with a number of hideous growths spreading all over his body.

The wizards and witch looked proudly at them.

Sasuke approached them, irritated. "I was handling that just fine."

A furious voice shouted from near the castle. "Damm…you…" Karin had extracted herself out of the rubble, and teleported to pick up Juugo and then Suigetsu. "We'll see you again…but next time, we'll definitely kill you all. Unless Sasuke-kun will rejoin us?" She looked hopefully at Sasuke, who 'hmphed' and turned his back on her. She threw one more look of hatred at Naruto, and with Juugo and Suigetsu under her arms, disappeared.

"Shit, they got away." Naruto looked angrily at where Karin had been. He put a hand to the still visible cut on his left arm. What was taking Kyuubi so long?

"We'll have to send a message informing Tsunade of this. She needs to know there are now other shinobi involved in this mission." She winced and pulled a shuriken out of her hand. "I won't be able to heal all of our cuts. I don't have enough chakra."

Hermionie bent over and examined a cut. She smiled at them. "These aren't too deep. I should be able to heal them with a couple of spells. Let's go back to the Common Room and we can start."

They nodded and started climbing up the stairs. Harry looked worriedly at the shinobi. They looked exhausted, so unlike them. _'Are all ninja this strong?' _he wondered.

At the top of the stairs, Umbridge stood with hands on her hips. She opened her mouth…

"I'm not in the mood to hear what you say, nor do I care" snapped Naruto. He walked straight past her. She gaped after him, outraged.

Sasuke came next. "You should clean up the school now…_headmistress_." The rest of them passed her without another word and headed up the stairs.

Umbridge took one look at the quad covered with cracks and rubble and issued a tragic howl.

* * *

While unlucky students were outside fixing up the mess, the unfortunate causers of the mess were cringing and wincing with pain as Hermionie put her amateur healing abilities to use on them. 

Naruto watched in dread as Sasuke closed his eyes in an attempt to block out the discomfort he was obviously feeling as Hermionie passed her glowing wand up and down his wounds. He watched his nails dig into the armchair. _'Who would've though it'd hurt to be healed.'_

Harry and Ron watched also, feeling sorry for the ninja and hoping to god that they'd never require Hermionie to heal them.

When she was finished with Sasuke, she moved onto Sakura. Sasuke ruefully rubbed the raw patches of red on his arms and legs.

Harry asked Naruto and Sasuke "Who were those people?"

Naruto hesitated. "…They're some old acquaintances of ours."

Harry looked taken aback. "But they're ninja too, so why were they attacking you?"

Sasuke shook his head in exasperation. "Death Eaters are wizards aren't they. And _they_ don't seem to be the best of friends with you."

"Point taken. OK then. So how come they wanted to kill you so bad. Not meaning to sound self-centered but I couldn't help but notice they didn't seem to be interested in me."

"They looked like they desperately wanted Naruto's blood though", added Ron. "Why's that?"

Naruto didn't say anything, instead casting his eyes to the carpet. This conversation might lead to talking about his and Sasuke's tainted past. He'd told Harry about Sasuke leaving, but he'd left out all the finer and more personal details. The subject was too delicate to talk about…not even Sakura knew everything.

Sasuke thought carefully before saying "They have a score to settle with Naruto."

Naruto sent him a look that said '_Blame it all on me why don't you?'_

'_Well would you like to be the one to tell them the full story?'_

Naruto stuck his bottom lip out and turned away. Hermionie stepped towards him. "Your turn now Naruto."

'_Uh Oh.'_

Naruto tried to run for it, but Sasuke grabbed him and wrestled him onto the chair. He struggled, but Sasuke had a firm grip. "I'm fine! Don't worry, it'll heal by itself!"

"Oh don't be ridiculous", scoffed Hermionie.

She waved her wand a few times and then placed the glowing wand tip on the spot below his tattoo.

"Are those tattoos to show your position or something?" Harry asked. He admired the tattoos- they made them look so much more mature and tough.

"Yeh. Only ANBU have them. They get annoying though, because on normal missions, we have to cover them up."

Harry was interested. "Normal missions? You mean there's different types?"

Sasuke nodded. "Missions are ranked according to the difficulty and the risks. D-Rank would be the lowest, then C, B and A. Then, there are the ANBU missions, which can range from AA to S. This mission is currently an AA. However, now that there are other powerful shinobi involved, it'll more than likely increase to an S Rank."

"This is strange." Hermionie was frowning at Naruto's arm. "Your cut is almost completely healed over." Her eyes widened and she stepped away from him. "It's healing even as I watch!"

She looked suspiciously at him and asked in a low voice- _"What are you?"_

Ron pulled Hermionie away from Naruto. "What are you saying? Don't ask people things like that!" he said angrily.

She slapped his hand from her shoulder and looked up at him, equally angry. "In case you haven't noticed, there's something seriously wrong with Naruto! Remember his eyes? This isn't normal in people, and I doubt it's normal even for ninjas. I don't know about you, but personally, I find it freaky that there's he can change sometimes from a funny, innocent prankster to a murderous killer."

She finished talking and then shrank into the couch. Sakura and Sasuke were glowering down at her, looking ready to hit her. Sasuke's Sharingan activated as he lost control and Hermionie looked into the blood-red eyes with terror.

Ron ran forwards, stepping in between them. He looked boldly at them, trying not to let them see how scared he really was.

A voice came from behind. "Leave them alone."

They all looked around, only to see the edge of Naruto's cloak whipping out of sight as he went up the stairs.

Sasuke and Sakura stopped. Sasuke's eyes returned back to black and he and Sakura left without another word to follow Naruto upstairs. Behind, the Golden Trio sighed in relief.

Naruto had locked the door. Sakura tried knocking gently first. "Naruto? Let us in."

When this didn't work…well. There was always the latter option.

The door was splintered by Sakura's punch and they stepped through the hole in it into the room. Clothes were all over the floor and the bed sheets were strewn everywhere.

"Guys rooms are messy." commented Sakura.

Naruto was huddled in a corner next to the window. They crouched down next to him. Sasuke yearned to embrace him, but Sakura was there.

"Are you OK?" Sakura asked gently.

Naruto smiled merrily at them. "I'm fine! I had much worse back in the village remember?"

"Then why'd you-?"

"Leave? Because I didn't want to hear any arguments."

When they still looked concerned, he gave them a wide grin and said "Stop worrying! You two look like a pair of old ladies! Then again, that's not saying much considering obaachan…"

They laughed. Then Sakura asked the question that had been nagging all of them. "Who do you think told them we were here?"

"An old friend…" They pondered.

"They didn't have any" said Sasuke. "Suigetsu and Juugo were both locked up when I got to them, and Karin was in a prison."

"Hey Sakura, ask Tsunade when you write that letter, maybe she'll know."

"Sure. I'll write it tomorrow." She stood up and headed for the door.

"Where are you going?"

"Bathrooms. I need a shower. You two should take one too."

She left, and Naruto sniffed himself tentatively. "I don't really smell do I?"

"Not at all."

Sasuke smiled, and he and Naruto gave each other a short kiss. After, Naruto asked "When do you reckon we should tell Sakura."

Sasuke looked troubled. "I don't know how we'll tell her. What do you suggest we do? Her two best friends go up and tell her 'We like each other'?"

"So it's like now huh? Not love?" Naruto said teasingly.

Sasuke blushed and checked the clock on the table. "Well…there's only 15 minutes till dinner. Shower can wait till after."

"Fine by me." Naruto yawned and got up. "Wanna go wait in the Hall?"

"Why not."

They decided they ought to tell the others first though. In the common room, the three of them were waiting for them.

Sasuke looked coolly at Hermionie as she scrambled to her feet and over to Naruto. "I'm really sorry", she babbled. "Please forgive me." She bowed, knowing that it was a part of Japanese culture.

Naruto bowed back. "I'm alright with it." He grinned at them. "Wanna go downstairs for dinner yet?"

They did. Together they walked down several floors, before Harry was attacked by Snape. It was the day after Harry had accidentally looked into Snape's memories, and Snape was still extremely touchy. "I'll expect too see you in my office at 3pm tomorrow evening", he whispered softly.

As he stalked off, Naruto stuck his middle finger up at him.

Snape stopped. For a moment, they thought he'd somehow seen Naruto from the back of his head. But then he just said "Perhaps this will encourage you to try harder. A message from your beloved Padfoot says he also hopes for you to attempt to block out these dreams."

Naruto looked incredulously at Harry. Were these dreams they were talking about what caused him so many fitful nights?

Hermionie and Ron whispered crossly to Harry as they began walking down some stairs. No use. The ninjas could hear easily. "You said you were trying to stop these thoughts!"

"I am trying!" he whispered back. "It's kinda hard when Snape's trying to shoot you with curses!"

"Your obviously not trying hard eno-"

"Don't go assuming that!"

Sasuke cleared his throat in a very Umbridge-like way. "Perhaps you should know, that me and Naruto can hear every word you're saying."

The wizards shut up.

At the Hall, they sat next to Ginny and Dean at the Gryffindor table. Ginny waved joyfully, while Dean gave the thumbs up to Harry and Ron. Ron looked sour.

Sakura sat herself down next to them, now dressed in her pink outfit since her ANBU uniform was drying. Needless to say, it had attracted quite a bit of attention.

Umbridge stood a short time later to address everyone. She rambled on for 10 minutes, hinting clearly that the guards were the 'hooligans' that had destroyed the quad. She didn't even mention the fight. A vein on her forehead twitched when she realized that Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura were chatting and paying her no attention. McGonagall was the once who decided she'd had enough, and interrupted Umbridge.

"Now then everyone, the feast can begin." To Umbridge, she said "Dolores, they are all no doubt hungry after you ordered them to clean up the playground." She made it very clear she thought Umbridge was abusing her power.

The tinkling of forks and knives throughout was heard as everyone began eating.

Umbridge sat down on her chair, and for the rest of the feast sent death-glares in the direction of the shinobi.

* * *

_Week Later- February 10__th_

An explosion occurred in the packed common room, and all the senior students doing their homework in that spare period shrieked. Naruto took the scroll from the massive slug and dismissed it.

All the others were either off at lessons or on guard duty.

Naruto threw himself on the couch, but grew uncomfortable when he realized the students around him were daringly trying to sneak looks at the scroll.

He exhaled noisily, and climbed up the wall and sat upside down on the ceiling. This attracted a lot more attention, but at least they couldn't see what he was reading.

_Dear Gaki, _(twitch)

_The next time you send me such a big toad, I'll send Katsuya! _('I'll send Gamabunta!')

_I'm in a rush _('probably to the casino', thought Naruto) _and so this is going to be short._

_Since there's now 3 more great enemies on your list, the mission's been raised to S-Rank. Also, backup teams are arranged, so if ever you need one dispatched, inform me. _('tough chance')

_And now. Bad news. Jiraiya's been tipped off that the 'old friend' being referred to is very possibly Orochimaru –_Naruto almost fell from the ceiling-. _We're pretty sure he's still alive, and that he's now somewhere in England or Scotland, no doubt wanting revenge on you and Sasuke._

_Please be careful, and don't do anything rash._

_Love, Tsunade._

_P.S. Everyone told me to tell you 'Hi.'_

* * *

Ok. In answer to my previous suggestion of raising this story to M, ive decided against it. Don't worry, still be the lovey dovey bits, but just not gonna get too...lets say, bad for innocent minds. 

More reviews please. Next update, either Sunday or Monday.


	13. Oh No THAT day

" "- speaking

' '- thinking

**" "- Kyuubi/Inner Sakura**

* * *

**_--Chapter Thirteen--_**

**_--Oh No! It's THAT day!--_**

"OUT OF MY WAY!" Naruto skidded around another corner, encouraging all students and teachers to stop what they were doing and ogle at him.

Naruto ignored them and kept on running towards where he sensed Sasuke and Sakura were. He clutched the letter from Tsunade tightly in his hand, and his mind screamed at all the bad news it had brought. He was in a foul mood…o yes, an _extremely _foul mood.

'_Damm it!' _he thought in frustration. _'How could that bastard not be dead? We hit him with a rasengan and a chidori, and chucked the body over a cliff. SO HOW THE HELL IS HE STILL ALIVE AND TRYING TO KILL US?!' _Without knowing it, he was starting to leave huge, indentured footprints in the ground. In a cloud of dust and debris, he was out the castle.

Behind him, the students stood gaping in the destruction he'd caused.

_Meanwhile__, in the Forbidden Forest--_

Sasuke looked up from his letter and sighed. "Knew it couldn't have been that easy."

Sakura crumpled up her own letter and threw it with such force that it imbedded itself into a rock. The rock began smoking…"Then you really believe he's somewhere in England?"

Sasuke nodded reluctantly at her. "Yes. Knowing him, if he's really alive, he won't rest until me and Naruto are dead. He's not going to let you go either. After all, you helped drug him." One of his ears suddenly twitched and he looked to the left. "It would seem that the dobe's just found out."

"Uh oh" muttered Sakura. She somersaulted backwards onto the top of a pile of rocks and braced herself.

"SASUKE! SAKURA!" They could hear crashing off in the distance, with a little bit of swearing thrown in.

'_Oh crap, he didn't even say –chan!' _Sakura thought frantically.

"C'mon Sakura. We better give him some space to cool off." When Naruto was in a bad mood, they'd learnt that the best way to sort it out was to avoid him until it was over.

They began running at a diagonal to the approaching fury that was Naruto, heading in the general direction of the Quidditch Pitch.

10 or so minutes later, they finally left the cover of the trees and stood panting some distance away from the Whomping Willow, which waved its branches threateningly at them.

The crashing sound came closer, and then with a humongous 'CREAK' and a furious curse, they beheld Naruto, looking more aggravated than they'd seen since arriving at Hogwarts.

They were relieved when they took note of his blue eyes and normal canines. Nonetheless, the fallen trees and dazed animals lying behind him were quite bad…

Naruto tried walking calmly towards them, but it just made him look more wild. "Here". He thrust the hand forward holding his letter. "Orochimaru's back."

"We already know baka." Sasuke pushed Naruto's arm back and sighed.

"How?!"

"You're not the only person who can receive mail." And Sasuke showed him his scroll, Sakura having disposed of hers.

Instantly, Naruto seemed to relax. The tension in the atmosphere dropped, and his cute pouting face was back on. "Stupid 'bachaan." All three of them laughed.

Naruto let himself fall backwards onto the ground and the other two sat themselves next to him. "Well…what do you think about it?" he asked.

Sasuke absently flicked a pebble and grinned when it hit Naruto on the forehead. Naruto bolted upright, glaring. "Me and Sakura have already figured out he's going to be trying to kill us three. But, we also realized something when we thought about how Karin and stuff attacked us. We already know that they must've gotten our whereabouts from Orochimaru. But how did Orochimaru know in the first place? Our mission is top secret. They were wearing Death Eater outfits, and also seemed to know what they were doing. How's that possible, since they should be completely lost in the wizarding world. Unless, someone's helping them and Orochimaru." He looked smugly at Naruto.

Naruto gawked silently for a moment. They waited. Then his eyes flashed and he was up and yelling at the top of his lungs. "IT MUST BE VOLDEMORT!"

"The duh brain figures it out" muttered Sasuke.

He was instantly tackled to the ground. " That's your _captain _your calling a duh brain." They struggled for awhile, and Sakura entertained herself by prodding at them with sticks. After a little more of this they stopped and Sakura suggested "Let's go back now. We can't figure out anything else like this. We'll just go around in circles."

"Un."

Naruto's wicked smile was suddenly back on his face. "Next time, we'll just have to capture and _question_ any enemies we run into."

* * *

On that fateful morning Naruto, Sasuke and Harry walked unsuspectingly into the danger that awaited them in the Great Hall. 

Sakura had mysteriously said she was feeling unwell, and Hermionie had stayed with her in the Common Room. Also, Ron had been about to leave with them, but had been forced to stay by Hermionie. Sakura and Hermionie had then proceeded to cheerfully wave the rest of them off. Girls were weird sometimes…

When the three of them walked into that Hall, every eye in the vicinity clasped their sights onto them. Girls everywhere were dressed like parrots (in other words, all done up and pretty) and holding things wrapped in a variety of bows, ribbon and wrapping paper.

Starting to feel they missed something, they looked questioningly at Fred and George, who were sitting next to Angelina and Katie at the table. The twins gave synchronized, cynical looks, and Fred mouthed evilly _'Valentines Day.'_

Naruto, Sasuke and Harry felt the cold sweat break out on the back of their necks, and they looked fearfully at one another. Memories of raging fan girls and dangerous close calls flooded their minds. They backed to the door, tensed, preparing…

"UUWAAHHH!" High pitched screaming erupted, and the tide of girls started running towards them, at least 100 of them!

But they had been ready. Before the girls were halfway towards them, they'd already pelted off down the corridor back the way they'd come. Not about to give up just yet, the girls followed, a stampeding herd of animals all heading for the same chunk of meat.

Looking behind them, the guys groaned when they saw that the girls were slowly gaining on them. "Why is it…" panted Harry, "…that girls can run so fast when they want to?!" _'I wonder if Cho's there…God!, now is not the time to think about that!'_

"Running together like this isn't going to do us any good." Said Sasuke from his left. Harry envied how he and Naruto were having no trouble at all with their breathing.

"We've had practice" said Sasuke, as if knowing what he was thinking.

Naruto nodded to his right and grinned. "Every man for himself! We're splitting at the next cross way!"

At the next crossing of 2 corridors, Naruto turned left, Sasuke turned right, and Harry went on straight ahead. Harry breathed in relief when he saw the majority of girls behind him break off to the sides.

He turned back to the front and recognized that he was running on the 5th floor.

'_If I can just make it to the Room of Requirement!'_ He almost tripped, and the herd behind him gained a few feet. He quickened his speed, but it made no difference at all. He couldn't keep on going for much longer…

'_Desperate times call for desperate measures!'_

He pulled his wand from the folds of his robes and raising it above his head, cried out "Accio Firebolt!"

He hoped desperately it had worked, and knew in his gut that feeling of suspense.

And then he heard it. A high pitched noise that he identified as something speeding through the air at great speeds.

His Firebolt came whooshing to his side from over the heads of the girls behind him and kept steady pace in the air next to him at waist height. He grabbed it by it's sleek handle, put one leg over, leapt onto it, and then went flying up at the next flight of stairs, heading towards the 7th floor, and hopefully, sanctuary.

_--__With Naruto--_

Naruto was jumping up the railings of a flight of stairs. On the next floor, he paused and looked down at the girls down below who were now staring love-struck up at him. In a pushing, violent scramble they began to flow up the stairs, squealing all the while.

'_AAAARGGHH!'_

Frenetically looking left and right, Naruto concluded to take right and began sprinting down a passageway lined on either side with a dozen suits of armor.

"Ack!" An invisible force grabbed his ankles, and he almost fell forward. Would have too, if it weren't for the fact his feet were now stuck fast to the carpeted floor and keeping him supported. "What the…?" He tried moving his legs, but it was as if they'd gone numb.

An incessant cackling erupted from one of the suits of armor, and Naruto recognized it in a premonition of dread. The head of the armor went flying off to one side as Peeves flew from his hiding place and hovered over Naruto's head.

"Oooooh", he drawled "In a bit of a fickle aren't we?" He did a swoop in the air and began cackling again. "Poor, poor Naruto. Peevesy _almost_ feels sorry for him."

The girls had made it to the top of the stairs and were now in sight. Naruto tried to grab the poltergeist but he just flew out the way and blew a noisy raspberry. As calmly as he could, Naruto said "Peeves…get me out of here, NOW!" The girls were less than 20 meters away now.

"Where are your manners?" Peeves mocked. He dived in circles around Naruto's head, blowing raspberries all the while.

They were only 10 meters away…the poltergeist still wasn't making any move…

"You asked for it Peeves!" He pulled his hands together…

The girls were on him, covering him so that he was drowning in a torrent of limbs, clothes and bright wrapping.

"Here, take my one!"

"Will you be my Valentine?"

"No! Move it, he's _mine_!"

They were unintentionally strangling their poor target as they began slapping and screeching at each other.

"Arrgh, gerroff me!" A rather different voice issued from the middle of the clamoring group, and they stopped all activities, looking in shock.

A pale, iridescent, opaque head shoved itself up out of the bodies, and the girls all screamed and leapt back from it. Peeves also started screaming as he shot out of the throng, and cursing too. His face was covered with disgusting smeared lipstick, and his attire was frenzied.

As the unfortunate ladies started gagging and retching, Peeves straightened his orange bowtie and floated up through the ceiling and to the next floor, where he collapsed into a crazy fit of hysterical sobs and screams.

"Awww…poor Peevesey."

Naruto towered over Peeves, a malevolent grin on his face. He patted the ghost on the head. "I _almost_ feel sorry for you." Peeves sobs intensified and he closed his eyes shamefully at having fallen victim and being touched by mortals.

Naruto looked over his shoulder as he heard the girls begin their chase again. He flicked his eyes back to Peeves. "Thanks for distracting them for me. Gotta run now. Sayonara!"

He was out of there, leaving Peeves to wail in misery to the empty walkway.

_--__With Sasuke--_

Sasuke's tactic was to escape to Gryffindor tower and into the dorm where his pursuers wouldn't be able to reach him. Unfortunately, when he'd taken the turn at right, he'd gone the complete opposite direction, and so here he was now running down a corridor in the dungeons, 10 floors from where he wanted to be, and utterly clueless as to which way would lead him to the stairs and up.

The only good thing about being in the dungeons was that the girls after him seemed to have gotten lost as well. They'd split into the dark maze to look for him, and he was finding it quite easy to avoid them by hiding in the shadows above them.

He jumped down as Parvati and Lavander hurried past, and he went down another corridor. It looked completely unfamiliar. There were too many of those in this place!

50 meters on, he saw the stairs, and he broke into a jog up them, but at the top…

"We've got him!"

He ran into an invisible barrier and was thrown backwards down the stairs. He managed to land on his feet at the bottom, and he looked to the top of the stairs to see 5 girls with their wands out and raised. They were apparently the ones who'd set up the trap.

"Now what do we do?" one asked nervously.

Trying innocent, Sasuke said "How about let me go?"

One of the girls said "We'll let you go if you'll go out with me!"

The other 4 rounded on her, and their concentration slipped briefly. The invisible barrier shimmered into sight ever so slightly, and Sasuke grinned. _'Bingo.'_

"I'd go out with you" he said "but I'm afraid your friends wouldn't like it." He tried to sound as genuinely upset as possible, and it sickened him.

The girl he had addressed clasped both hands to her heart and swooned. "Who cares about them! Oh Sasu-"

"What did you say bitch!" One of the other girls pointed her wand at her and shrieked a curse. The girl was hit and shouted and clutched at her face. Blindly, she pointed and madly waved her own wand, but accidentally hit one of the other girls instead.

Before long, all 5 girls had broken out into a full on cat-fight, and the barrier was broken. Taking advantage of their distraction, Sasuke flashed behind them, and knocked them all out with a quick chop to the neck.

Looking with satisfaction, he said to the unconscious figures "I'm sorry, but I've already got someone."

He turned on his heel and jumped. In mid-jump, he disappeared.

He reappeared 7 floors up in a thankfully deserted area. He recognized where he was- that painting over there showed a particularly grumpy witch who'd tried to attack him in his first week.

He walked past the screeching painting and started climbing the stairs up. Spending half a day escaping from obsessed fan girls really would take a toll on anyone. _'Gryffindor Tower…if I could only get there without running into anyone…'_

He _did_ run into someone. Outside the portrait of the sleeping Fat Lady, he saw Naruto walking towards him from the opposite direction. He looked bedraggled and tired, but otherwise quite acceptable. Sasuke realized he was in fact looking for signs for if Naruto had accepted any of the girls' affections. He flushed at this revelation, and this wasn't helped when Naruto finally noticed him and began staring mercilessly at him. They were standing 5 feet from each other.

…

"Umm…"

Sasuke looked helplessly at his crush. They'd been alone before! Why was his heart suddenly beating so crazy now? His lips quivered, but he didn't speak because nothing would come to mind. He had to think of something to say, or he had to do something!…anything to get rid of this awkward silence!

His wish was answered. The picture of the snoozing Fat Lady was swung open with such energy that the Fat Lady squeaked as she was smashed into the wall. "I was sleeping you know!"

Sasuke and Naruto both gawked at Sakura, who was standing with arms folded in the portrait hole. She was grinning at them. "Have fun?" Something about her smile, and the way she said that…

"You knew!" Naruto and Sasuke both looked dangerously at her.

Sakura flicked her pink hair behind her shoulders and nodded complacently. "Yes. I knew. Any normal person would know that the 14th of February is Valentines Day, and" she added, seeing their mouths open "any _organized_ person should know what the date is."

They had no answer to this, and so settled to just giving Sakura venomous looks that threatened to have her drop dead at any moment.

Unaffected by this at all, Sakura said "Are you coming in or not? Or do you want to be found be your admirers?"

"Yes, yes", said the Fat Lady's muffled voice. "It _is _very uncomfortable you know, to have one's body pressed between a wall and canvas."

They needed no further encouragement. They hurried in through the hole, and the Fat Lady was about to swing shut when a hand grabbed the frame and forcefully pulled it back open.

Ignoring the Fat Lady's protests, a grumpy looking Harry climbed through the portrait hole too and together they trudged into the Common Room.

Since it was now dinner time, most people were down in the Hall eating. This left only the usual 6 occupying the cozy room. Unfortunately, 3 of these 6 people were feeling far from cozy.

"You're evil Sakura-chan." Naruto pulled of his white ANBU armor, placed his katana on the rug and sat gratefully in an armchair in front of the fireplace. "You _knew_ we didn't know it was Valentines Day, but you still let us go to our doom."

"Hey, it's not like I managed to avoid it all." She pointed to the table and at the huge mountain of letters and presents. "All sent by owl post. And there were some pretty awful things…" she shuddered as she recalled one talking letter which had proclaimed loud and clear in billowing tones its love for her.

Hermionie giggled behind a hand, and Harry targeted her. "And how come _you_ didn't tell me, but you were nice enough to tell Ron?" He knew why, but right about now, he didn't mind making Hermionie and Ron feel uncomfortable.

As Ron and Hermionie were squirming, Sasuke said "I'm feeling hungry."

"I packed food" said Naruto.

Before anyone could say anything, he'd vanished and they heard things being thrown around upstairs. _Heavy_ things.

They winced as they heard a CRASH followed by a BANG.

5 minutes later, Naruto came down the stairs with his arms laden with food.

Sakura sweeped all the presents and letters from the table and Naruto replaced them with the much more gratifying sight of food. None of them had eaten anything since dinner previous night.

Naruto's stash consisted of a large variety. He still had a lot of the candy he'd bought from Hogsmeade, as well as lots of obento's and of course…instant ramen.

Being too hungry to be picky, they ate ravenously. With a water jutsu and a fire jutsu, 6 cups of instant ramen were steaming on the table. While they waited for the 3 minutes to be up, they ate through all the sweets from Honeydukes. Not exactly the best combination for dinner, but one has to make do with what they have, especially if the other option is to enter a hall filled with raging fan girls.

"Mmm", said Harry as he slurped his ramen. "This stuff is nice."

Naruto nodded enthusiastically at him. "It's the nicest stuff there is!"

Sasuke and Sakura rolled their eyes, and Naruto stuck his tongue at them.

"Hermionie told me today –while you guys were out there- that there's another Hogsmeade outing this weekend." Said Sakura. "We can do more shopping and –"

"I'm not going" said Naruto. "You guys have fun."

"Why not?!"

"I don't feel like it. I'll just hang around in the library and do a bit of research about all this stuff going on."

"I'll stay with you." Sasuke looked nervous, but at the same time determined.

"Uh, OK then."

"Fine then!" Sakura turned to the Golden Trio and smiling, said "We'll have fun! _Won't we?_"

"Um, yes, sure!"

Sakura laughed at Ron, who'd dropped his noodles. Hermionie magicked away the steaming mess on the floor, and Sakura said "I can't be that scary can I?"

Naruto and Sasuke put their empty cups on the table, stood up together and went up the to spiraling stairs with the intention of going to sleep. "Good night. And Sakura-chan, you're _very_ scary." They ran for it.

* * *

_--Weekend_ -- 

Naruto and Sasuke watched from a window as the students walked down the road to Hogsmeade. They could just faintly see Sakura's bright pink hair bobbing amongst the sea of black cloaks.

"Are we really going to the library?" Sasuke asked. His breath left a foggy residue on the window and he wiped it with the back of his glove.

"Why not?"

"I've already done all the research we need, in case you didn't notice all those books I'd been reading."

"I noticed. But I think we could find entertainment in there in other forms."

"There's no porn in a library."

"That's _your_ form of entertainment!"

"Pfft."

They sneaked into the library around the piercing gaze of the librarian, Madam Pince and began their exploring between 2 high rows of shelves.

"Hmm. _Wizarding Law_. Boring." Naruto put the book back on the shelf and flipped over it into the next row.

Sasuke kept on walking in that row, which seemed to only contain books on politics. He decided he'd go check out the row opposite Naruto's.

This row was more dominated by books to do with magical animals. _'This is so tedious.'_

A large set of closed doors to the far right caught his attention and he read the brass, engraved plate at the top of the doors. _'Restricted section eh? Should be something good in there.'_

He pulled Naruto from the next row by the sleeve to the front of the doors, and checking that no one was looking, entered. They quickly closed the doors behind them, and then stood in awe of the huge shelf before them.

It _towered_. At least 5 times taller than them, and filled with so many books that Naruto could crane his neck but still wouldn't be able to see them all.

"Race you to the top!" He jumped onto one ledge and began running up, while Sasuke did the same. At the top, they jumped so that they sat on the top of the shelf.

"Wow. This things tall."

The ground looked very far away.

"Now lets see what's worth keeping restricted shall we?" Naruto flipped and hung down by his feet so that he could inspect the books on the highest shelf. He pulled a battered, red book out and opened it to a random page. He shut it immediately when he was greeted with a moving photo of a dissected human body. "I see…"

He hurriedly put that book back on the shelf and tried another one.

Sasuke sat himself on the ledge of the compartment next to Naruto's and made himself comfortable as he scanned the books next to him. A black book with golden lettering caught his attention, and he pulled it out. It didn't come out easy. It was packed so tightly between the other books that it actually took Sasuke some effort to get it out. When he finally held it in his hands, he read the flowing, script-like writing. _'Nature's most potent and lethal.'_

He blew the dust off the book, coughing and waving his hands as a small dust storm went into his face.

"Don't kill yourself Sasuke!" called Naruto joyfully.

Sasuke opened the book to the index, and raised his eyebrows as he looked down the list of contents.

From what he could understand, this was just a book about legendary creatures. Everyone knew that kappa's didn't exist.

'_Why make a book about things that don't even… Oh Kami." _

He ripped the book open to page 134, the book groaning in displeasure as he did. _'How is this in here?!"_

"Naruto!"

"Huh?"

"Get over here."

Naruto popped his head curiously around, then swung his body over as well. He looked giddily at Sasuke and asked "What?"

Sasuke handed Naruto the book opened at the page and watched as Naruto's muscles tensed and the eyes widened in shock and fear. He raised his face to Sasuke and asked softly "How?"

Sasuke shook his head.

A moving illustration of the nine tailed fox thrashed in the pages, and in the bottom right corner of the page, was a small inanimate photo of Naruto, as old as he was at present, with his blonde and red hair, and sky-blue eyes. He was grinning at the camera. A camera which he didn't even remember seeing.

"I never took this photo! And I also never told whoever this author is all this stuff about me!"

"This book is a composition from lots of different writers" sighed Sasuke.

Naruto looked stupidly at the book. "If a wizard I've never met could get all this information, then anyone could."

He looked gloomily at Sasuke and said "Anyone could find out about what I am and about Kyuubi."

"That's right."

Sasuke and Naruto's heads turned so fast their necks cricked. They saw with dread, Hermionie standing down below, looking up at them, her face unreadable. Her book bag was slung over one shoulder, and under one arm was a stack of more books. She obviously hadn't gone into Hogsmeade with the others.

"I know what you are", she whispered.

Naruto seemed to almost faint on the spot. He looked down at her weakly, not knowing what to do.

Sasuke jumped and landed in front of Hermionie. She stepped back from him, and he stepped forward with every step she took back.

"What do you think Naruto is?" he asked quietly. His black eyes were gleaming dangerously and his hands twitched at his weapons pouches.

Hermionie looked defiantly at Sasuke and said "He's a monster."

Naruto groaned as he saw Sasuke slap Hermionie in the face and send her back a few feet. "What makes you think he's a monster?"

"He is!" shouted Hermionie hysterically, holding her cheek. "He killed all those people in Japan 17 years ago, and he's uncontrollable! He's a murderer!"

Sasuke slapped her again, harder this time. "And you believe it? You'd believe a book over someone who's suppose to be your friend?"

Hermionie shook her head furiously. "It fits", she whispered. "The way he reacted to the foxglove, his changes in appearance. He's the nine tailed demon fox."

"HE IS NOT!" Sasuke shouted at her. "He would never harm anyone innocent! Have you seen him hurt anyone with your own eyes?! You convicted him without knowing the full story!"

He lost control, and stomped furiously towards Sakura, who was frozen still in terror.

"Sasuke, stop!"

Naruto had jumped down from the shelves and stood between Sasuke and Hermionie, one arm out in front of Hermionie and the other holding Sasuke back. He looked pleadingly at Sasuke.

Sasuke growled, and made to push past him.

Desperate, Naruto put his arms around Sasuke and hugged him. "Stop." Naruto felt tired and weak, and if Sasuke had wanted to, he would certainly have been able to force him off. But as it was, he didn't. He put his arms around Naruto and hugged him back.

Hermionie finally seemed to realize where she was, and ran out the door. She ran all the way to the fountain in the Quad, where she waited for when Harry and Ron would return, and when she would reveal to them Naruto's secret.

* * *

A scuffle in the Quad that afternoon brought teachers and students running. Hermionie was being supported by Harry and Ron, blood dripping from the corner of her lip. A livid Sakura stood few feet away from here. 

Sakura held one gloved hand in the air, and she screamed at Hermionie "DON'T SAY ANYTHING IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT!"

The crowd around looked at each other in confusion and began asking each other - "What's going on?"

Naruto and Sasuke at that moment darted down the stone steps and grabbed Sakura. Sasuke had calmed down, and was now more concentrating on making sure the rest of the school wouldn't find out about Kyuubi.

"Harry, Ron, Hermionie. Let's go." He and Naruto wheeled Sakura around and began walking towards the castle steps.

The students parted as they walked past, leaving a wide berth for them into the castle.

"Where are we going?" Harry asked.

"Room of Requirement", said Sasuke. "There's too many people in the Common Room right now."

In the Room of Requirement, Ron and Harry gently eased Hermionie onto the cushions, while Sasuke and Naruto released Sakura opposite to them. Ron and Harry stood back.

"Now". Sakura addressed Ron, Harry and Hermionie. Her voice was shaking and her fist was trembling with the effort of restraining herself. "You three can decide whether you'll believe all this nonsense some author tells you, or whether you'll look past it and believe a friend."

She moved back, and Naruto walked forward. No one talked, and Naruto smiled sadly. "Are you scared of me now?"

Harry looked outraged at this question and said "No! I'm not." He walked to Naruto's side, placed a hand awkwardly on his shoulder and firmly said "I'll believe whatever you say." He looked encouragingly at Ron, who nodded.

"Are you really a demon?" he meekly asked.

"Ahaha, yes, and no."

"…"

"Ah, well, It's a bit complicated…" He decided carefully on his words, not wanting to have to make it confusing. He also didn't want to have to branch out into a full novel about his life.

"I'm a human." He finally said. "But sealed inside me is a nine tailed demon fox. The fox was sealed inside of me when I was a baby in order to protect my village Konoha. He resides (he pointed at his stomach) in a chamber on a seal here. He has his own consciousness. So therefore, me and Kyuubi are two completely different entities."

"The book said he could take control" said Hermionie.

Naruto shook his head firmly and said "No he can't. When I get emotional upheavals, some of his traits can leak through. But he'll never be able to completely control me. Don't you think I'd know better than anyone else whether I can control him?"

Hermionie still looked skeptical, so Naruto asked "Look, have you ever seen me go insane on anyone?"

Truthfully, Hermionie thought the incident at the Burrow had been quite crazy, but then again, it'd seemed normal for them. "I guess not."

Naruto nodded in satisfaction.

Sasuke then spoke. "For further convincing, I'll just let you know that Naruto is more tolerant then Sakura and I are."

The Golden Trio looked at Naruto, who smiled foxily and innocently at them. _'You're kidding.'_

"And", added Sakura. "I am least tolerable when my friends are involved." She cracked her knuckles menacingly, and the Golden Trio gulped.

* * *

Next Chapter- Oh dear! Running up with snakes and old friends! 


	14. Serpents Slither Silently

" "- speaking

' '- _thinking_

**" "-Kyuubi/Inner Sakura**

* * *

**_--Chapter Fourteen--_**

**_--Serpents Slither Silently--_**

In the boy's bathrooms, Harry stood in one shower stall and Ron in the one next to him. The water was scalding hot, but he didn't notice. A hundred thoughts were swirling in his head, which was lost in the steam coming from the nozzle.

A muffled voice came from his right. "Harry…do you think everything will be alright?"

'_Will what be alright? Naruto? Our friendship with him? Us?' _

"Yeah." Harry turned the tap off and he heard Ron do the same. He wrapped a towel around his waist and met Ron outside on the tiles. As they began pulling their garments on, he asked "Why? Do you mind what Naruto is?"

Ron didn't give him a direct answer. Instead he just said, "I'm scared for Hermionie."

"You have to admit, she did go over the line." Harry stuffed all his things into his bag then began to towel his hair dry.

"Yes, but she didn't mean it." Ron took out his wand and pointed it at his hair, drying it instantly. Harry felt extremely stupid.

Together they walked out the bathroom into the passageway. "Anyway Harry, how's your occlumency lessons with Snape?"

"Don't wanna talk about it." He grumbled.

"OK, OK, as long as you stop having freaky nightmares all the time…"

_A few months later in May---_

The shadows cast by the full moon haunted every corner of the castle. _'This place would be the perfect setting for a horror story' _thought Naruto. He walked noiselessly down the pathway, relishing in the peace and quiet of the night.

He walked inside and began his routine pacing of the castle corridors. This place delighted him. The beautiful, serene darkness and the air of mystery and suspense that shrouded it. The past few months had been more peaceful than he could have hoped for, considering his secret was now in the open.

A stirring from behind the door next to him made him stop. He turned around and looked at the thick wooden door. Smiling, he said "I know you're there."

He waited patiently as the door creaked very slowly open, and a forked tongue preceded a huge snake. It's red, slit like eyes gleamed as they fixed their sights on Naruto. _'Whoa, Sasuke didn't need to summon one this big.'_ It was as tall as him, and at least 2 times as wide.

Naruto eyed the serpent warily and asked "What news does Sasuke have?"

The snake didn't answer, instead just waving its silvery head from side to side and grinning, all the while with it's eyes disturbingly focused on him.

"Well, talk. Or are you one of those stubborn ones that needs payment?" He began digging around in his pockets to see what he had, hoping that payment wouldn't mean him for dinner.

The snake finally opened its snout, but instead of a voice like Naruto expected, the creature hissed maliciously. Naruto stopped digging in his pockets, and looked suspiciously at the snake. It began to slither closer, and Naruto reached a hand for his shuriken holster.

"**There's something wrong."**

He narrowed his eyes as the snake reared up over him. "Your not one of Sasuke's."

With a snarl, the snake lunged at him. Naruto threw a volley of shuriken and his eyes widened as the shuriken all lodged themselves in the wall. He sensed the snake behind him.

He jumped out of the way of the giant jaws as they came crashing past him and into the ground. _'Fast!'_

Pulling itself back up, the snake turned around and sped towards him again. From its teeth dripped purple poison, burning away the carpet wherever it landed.

Taking a kunai from his waist, Naruto jumped above the snake. As the animal began writhing around in it's search for him he held the dagger aloft, preparing to behead it with a single, clean swipe.

Just as his blade met the scaly neck, the snake disappeared, fading into the air like a phantom illusion. Unable to handle the loss of resistance, Naruto fell forward and was forced to place a hand on the ground and pirouette himself forwards into an upright position. He quickly scanned the darkness for anymore threats, then sheathed his dagger when he could no longer sense anything.

'_What the hell was that? Was it an illusion?' _

He spotted the burns on the carpet floor. _'I better tell Sasuke and Sakura about this afterwards.'_

* * *

Nagini slithered up next to Voldemort's chair, and hissed to her master. Voldemort took out his wand, and healed the scratch that was on the serpent's neck. She rubbed her snout against his wrist, then began to slither up his arm onto the back of the armchair, where she contented herself and began to sleep. 

Voldemort pulled the back of one finger gently across her head. "There, there Nagini, we'll have our revenge."

"At the rate you're going, revenge won't happen until we've died of old age."

Orochimaru slipped from the shadows, much to Voldemort's annoyance. "A flawless plan takes time to compose." He said tersely.

"Something which we don't have. Once they return to Konoha, I shall do the same. And I can't help but notice…that without me, you cannot defeat Potter."

"And I can't help but notice", Voldemort said coldly "that without my help, you cannot defeat those shinobi. And so it'd be best if you'd stop complaining when you are not doing anything."

"Ah! Well that's where you're wrong brother." Orochimaru sat down in an armchair across from Voldemort's, and then pulled himself and the chair closer to Voldemort. "I've realized their weaknesses", he whispered. Interested, Voldemort looked stilly at him.

Orochimaru's face split into a grin, and he began laughing horribly. "And, without my stir, those weaknesses will soon be exposed!"

* * *

Naruto watched on the hill as the sun come up from behind the mountains. He stretched his arms and gave a huge yawn. Now that his shift was over, he figured it was time to go back to the Common Room, get some rest, and report on that giant snake gone wild. 

At the portrait of the Fat Lady, Naruto was just about to say 'hippogriffs', when he heard arguing voices coming from inside the common room. Frowning, he leaned against the wall and folded his arms.

"Are you going to go in or not?" said the Fat Lady irritably. "I have a meeting with Violet!"

"Hush" cooed Naruto. He winked slyly at her, and she grudgingly shut up. She then walked out of her portrait.

Placing the side of his head on the wall, Naruto closed his eyes and concentrated wholly on the voices. It wasn't that hard to tell that Hermionie was one of them…and if he wasn't much mistaken Harry and Ron were the ones arguing with her.

'_What would they argue about?' _he wondered.

His thoughts were answered the next second, and his eyes flew open as Hermionie yelled "I still think you should be more cautious around him!"

"He's as much a friend as you two are!" Harry yelled back.

"Hermionie, maybe we should trust Harry on this one, Naruto hasn't ever done anything bad to us."

Hermionie's shrill voice hurt Naruto's ears. "Well then I suppose you've forgotten what Sasuke and Sakura said in the Room of Requirement!"

It took Naruto a while to remember, but he then registered the statement with shock. _'Have they been talking behind my back? But…Sasuke would never do that…would he?'_ Desperate to know more, Naruto kept on listening.

"I didn't forget." Harry's voice was so soft that he almost didn't catch it.

"Well then", Hermionie said triumphantly "that as good as proves that he's out of control. _He might die_. That's what they said. And for what reason other than that thing inside him? He's unstable, and a danger to himself and to others. Look Harry, I've got nothing personal against Naruto, but if he's dangerous, then we have to take measures…"

Naruto slid down the wall and onto the ground. _'They said I'll die. Do they want me gone then…?'_ His eyes began to water, and he felt unbearable sorrow breaking apart his heart. It wasn't that he might die that was hurting him. It was the fact that everyone had been lying to him. He felt more lost and alone in the world than he'd ever been before. He clutched at his chest.

He could hear Harry yell his final comeback. "If you're going to be like this, then our friendship is over." Heavy footsteps approached from the other side of the wall, and Naruto hurriedly got up, wiping his eyes on the back of his sleeve.

The portrait hole opened, and Harry froze as he saw Naruto next to him. He quickly recovered and putting on a forced smile, he asked "Are you coming in then?"

Naruto shook his head and returned an equally forced smile. "No…I'm fine, I'm just leaving." He took a few steps back from Harry.

"Naruto…are you alright?" Harry took a step towards him and he retreated swiftly back.

"I'm fine." He turned around and was about to speed off when to his horror, he saw Sasuke and Sakura running towards them. From those expressions on their faces…they'd heard the argument from wherever they'd been and now, they knew he knew.

'_They must be here to try and contradict what I heard.'_

He stood his ground as the two came closer. He didn't flinch when they vanished only to reappear on either side of him, blocking any escape path. That look on Sasuke's face…he couldn't bear it. _'Was it pity?'_

"It's not what you think." Sakura said gently.

"Oh? And what would that be?" Naruto asked coldly. Sakura cringed at his lack of emotion.

"Shishou and Jiraiya are only speculating. It might not be true at all- "

"They knew as well?!" he yelled. If possible, his heart broke further into a few more pieces. "Everyone's been keeping secrets from me?!"

Harry now stood between them "Hey, calm down Naruto."

Naruto ignored him. He instead turned to Sasuke, and his next words shattered Sasuke. In a defeated voice, he asked

"Was it pity? Or the hope that after you might never have to put up with me again?" his eyes were downcast, hidden by his locks. He refused to look at Sasuke, to see anymore deceit.

"Naruto, I swear that none of it was a lie. I lo-" He was drowned out by Naruto's hysterical voice, and he looked thoroughly distressed.

"Why did you have to be so cruel?!…I believed you!"

He pulled the back of his hand across his cheek.

Finally raising his head, he gave a maniacal laugh, and a bitter smile was on his lips. He at last fixed his eyes on Sasuke's, and Sasuke recoiled. The blue eyes were like ice. There was nothing to see there.

Naruto's next words were loud and clear for all. "Stay away from me." He held his right hand up, his two forefingers together. Recognizing the sign and knowing what he was about to do, Sasuke lunged for his hand, but he was too slow. Without any sound at all, Naruto evaporated into the air.

"Gah! Naruto!" Sasuke spun around, and Sakura gripped his shoulder.

"Stop. You know you can't find him now." Sasuke ceased twisting and just stood there, at a loss.

Harry took out his map and unfolded it. He scanned the school multiple times, but try as he might, he couldn't find Naruto's name. Sakura noticed what he was doing and took the map from him. She folded it and placed it back in his pocket for him.

"It's no use." She said sadly. "He'd have covered his chakra."

"He's not our captain for nothing" Sasuke said quietly.

Harry could only see the back of Sasuke's head, but he could tell he was crying. His body was giving the occasional twitch and shrug, and he could hear the small sobs. He had no doubt in his mind that wherever Naruto was, he was doing the same.

_**The two…linked by fate. And also…torn apart by fate?**_

"Sasuke."

Sasuke turned slowly around to look at Harry. He made no effort to hide the stains on his face.

"Look for him…if anyone can find and convince him, it's you. He can't run from you forever."

When Sasuke didn't make any movement Harry said simply "I know you love him. And I know he feels the same."

To his surprise, Sakura pulled Sasuke into a motherly hug. A friendly hug, nothing more.

As his crying intensified she spoke into his ear. "Go for it", she whispered. "I'll support you all the way." Sasuke hugged her back in gratitude and Harry was, for a moment, tempted to join in.

Sakura let go of Sasuke and he was gone. She was crying as well now. Harry would never know, but right then she was as grief stricken as the two lovers. She was the one who'd witnessed them from age 12 to now. She'd seen them become friends, almost destroy each other, and then after long last, finally be reunited.

'_Good luck.'_

* * *

Naruto knew better than to vent his feelings out on the area around him. He was deep in the Forbidden Forest but even so, falling trees and screeching animals would not go unnoticed for long. And besides, right now his feelings weren't calling for him to cause damage to the trees. They were calling for him to cause damage to himself. 

He smashed his head onto the tree trunk and felt satisfied as the blood trickled down his forehead and then in turn onto the tree trunk and to the dirt. He watched mesmerized as drop by drop the scarlet water would splatter onto the soil.

He was forcing himself to not think. He didn't want to. But try as he might the unwanted thoughts came and invaded his mind.

He turned so that his back was now on the tree trunk, and he let himself slip down it to the base of the tree. He began to absently pull chunks off moss out as he looked up at the clouds. _'I understand now why Shikamaru does this. It's a good distraction.'_

He groaned when one of the clouds formed itself into a Sasuke in his mind's eye. He flipped open his weapons holster, and violently slammed a random dagger into the tree behind him. The force of it jarred his hand and the blade was now stuck deep in the wood. He began to cry freely now, confident that none of the others would find him.

He cried himself to sleep.

His dreams were haunted.

_He was back in the village and he was in front of everyone. Sasuke, Sakura, Tsunade, Jiraiya, Kakashi…all of them and everyone else were smirking at him._

_Tsunade stepped out of the crowd and walked towards where he was drugged and chained on the raised platform. She bent down low next to him, and whispered to him "You were never my little brother." She grabbed the necklace around his neck that she'd given to him and with a vicious tug, pulled it from him._

_She then turned to the villagers and raised her arms in the air. "Today, the demon shall finally die!"_

_The crowd all cheered, and Naruto twisted his face away from them. But he was not to be allowed that refuge. Hands grabbed him by the arms and collar, and he was pulled upright by Sasuke and Sakura. His face was slapped to face the crowd._

_Sasuke and Sakura weren't looking__ at him. Like the villagers, they were grinning, awaiting what was to come._

_The people in the crowd were all holding household appliances and ninja weapons alike. It was as though every single weapon from Tenten's collection was there. They surged forwards towards him, preparing to strike…_

_He closed his eyes._

He opened his eyes.

He pulled himself up, and found that he was panting and feeling fevered. It was now night time, and the stars were twinkling down at him from their velvet backdrop. He thought back to the nightmare, and he felt a hundred times worse. He slapped himself across the face, hoping that the stinging pain would divert him.

And then, he was once more dragged into his own mind, into the chamber where Kyuubi has resided before Naruto had weakened the seal and allowed it some liberty.

_Kyuubi trotted towards him in it's smaller form. Not saying much. He was still easily 10 times Naruto's size._

"_**Stop torturing yourself**__** kit."**_

_Naruto laughed bitterly. "Who would've thought that I, specialist at torturing others, would one day end up torturing myself?"_

_Kyuubi growled and whipped one of his tails at Naruto. It hit him on the side and he was thrown into the air and onto the iron bars of Kyuubi's old cell. _

_Kyuubi went over to where Naruto was just lying defeated, and sneered __**"You are not the Naruto I know. He would never give up. No matter what, he would keep on going until he got what he wanted. He was admirable and to be respected.**_

_Naruto rolled over. __"But he didn't love Sasuke…" he whispered._

_Extremely frustrated at this new Naruto, Kyuubi wound a tail around him and lifted him up before his jaws. Naruto didn't move at all, just looked into Kyuubi's huge pupils._

"_**But…"**__said Kyuubi. __**"He was worthy of Sasuke's love."**_

_He moved his tail at blinding__ speed and threw Naruto again, this time out of the chamber._

Once more in the mossy alcove, Naruto found himself sideways on the floor. He struggled to his feet, feeling desperately like he needed medicine.

'_Is it true? But was I ever worthy to begin with?'_

Previously, he would have welcomed a distraction, but right now, he was aggravated when a familiar cackle came from the trees. He whipped around to the shadowed trees and with his superior vision, he saw grey. He hissed.

"Yakushi…Kabuto."

"ANBU Captain Uzumaki" acknowledged Kabuto as he walked before him. "A pleasure to see you once more." He gave a little bow. "But you'll always be Naruto-kun to me"

"Don't _you_ use that suffix one me" Naruto snarled.

"Ah, I had forgotten" Kabuto said sardonically. "Only Sasuke can call you that." He narrowed his eyes and looked Naruto up and down. "But what is wrong? You seem to be sick. But that pink hair kuinochi should be able to heal any ailment of yours."

Naruto growled and Kabuto held up a hand. "Peace Naruto." He flashed over to Naruto and slowly placed a hand on his head so as to not provoke him. "Hmm…not a fever. A cold maybe?"

Naruto slapped the hand away and pushed himself back. "There is no peace between us. If I recall correctly, you've tried to kill me multiple times."

"And you me."

There was hush for a moment, except for the doleful hooting of an owl stalking its prey.

"Lets see" Kabuto said. "I am here to _collect_ you on Orochimaru-sama's orders." He grinned and took out a kunai.

"There are a number of ways this can work. You can come quietly, or you can come making as much of a racket as you want." He twisted his hand around, holding the kunai in front of his chest.

"I won't come at all!" Naruto pulled his katana out and ran towards Kabuto with it gleaming at his side. He pulled it back for the devastating blow…

Kabuto was behind him and his hands glowed blue with chakra. He placed a hand on Naruto's back, and Naruto screamed as he felt the strain as his muscle was torn. He fell forward and Kabuto stood over him, shaking his head pitifully.

"You underestimate me Naruto. I am _much_ stronger than anyone in Konoha."

Pulling his hand back, he aimed it at the back of Naruto's neck. "I guess you'll be coming quietly after all."

_With Sasuke—_

He met Sakura near the History staff room. She shook her head as he opened his mouth and he made a little sound of despair.

Both looked to the left as they heard three pairs of running feet coming their way.

Coming towards them were Harry, Ron and…Hermionie.

Sasuke's blood boiled at the sight of her and he gave an inhuman snarl. Completely losing it, he ran towards her…

Three people moved to stop him. Harry, Ron and Sakura were now all holding him by the arms in an effort to restrain him.

"Let me go!" he screamed. He tried to throw himself out of their grip and towards Hermionie but he couldn't budge. Sakura was _mighty_ strong.

Unexpectedly, Hermionie was the one to walk towards _him_. He stopped moving and instead looked forebodingly at her, daring her to come closer.

She stopped at a safe distance of 3 meters from him, and bowed. "I'm sorry."

"Last time you were too, but now look what's happening!"

She took a quivering breath, and then took her wand in her right hand. With her left, she grabbed Sasuke's left hand.

He looked at her, too surprised to try and shrug the hand off. She pointed her wand at their hands, and waved it in a motion.

"I swear", she whispered "that never again will I hurt Naruto …on penalty of death."

"What?! Hermionie, you're not…?" Ron looked in despair as a fiery tongue of flame came from the tip of Hermionie's wand and wrapped itself around her and Sasuke's hands. It writhed for a moment more, before seemingly being absorbed into their skin.

Hermionie released his hand. Smiling forlornly, she stood next to Ron and Harry, who'd released Sasuke when they'd seen what she was doing.

"You shouldn't have done that!" Harry said.

"What was that?" Sakura asked.

"It's an Unbreakable Vow", Ron said sorrowfully. He didn't seem to be able to say the rest.

Harry finished the sentence for him. "If she breaks it…she dies."

"I won't break it." Said Hermionie. She looked determinedly at Sasuke.

He looked back and he was no longer cold. "I accept you apology" he muttered. He walked past them towards the doors.

"Where are you going? It's already past midnight."

"I'm going to find him."

A search of the school grounds yielded no results. A quick search through Hogsmeade proved the same.

When he reached the Whomping Willow and there was still no sign or clue, he began to feel extremely distressed. He kicked a stone which went flying into the Whomping Willow. The Willow began to thrash it's branches, and he made to quickly get out of its way.

A spike in his senses made him stop and look into the shadowy trees of the Forbidden Forest. The path through the trees from Naruto's rampage a few weeks before was still there. But he could sense, very faintly…_Naruto's chakra._

Without another thought, he ran into the forest. Cursing as a branch hit him, he activated his Sharingan to improve his sight and senses.

About 1 kilometer into the forest he stopped at where the chakra was strongest. Naruto had definitely been there, and pretty recently too. There was also another familiar chakra signal.

It took him a while to recognize it, but he finally identified it's owner. _'Kabuto!'_

He looked in horror at the blood splattered across the grass, and at the evident signs of battle. A glint in a tree trunk ahead caught his attention and he walked towards it.

Imbedded in the tree trunk was a dagger. Sasuke tried pulling it out, but it was stuck pretty tightly. Taking a firmer grip, he managed to take it out with a screaming twist of wood.

As he held it up the metallic blade caught the moonlight. The patterns engraved on it were illuminated- a fox, a snake, a toad. It was the blade that he'd given Naruto for his 17th birthday, and those patterns had been engraved by himself.

He panicked as he considered what this meant. Naruto had fought here, and blood had been spilt. The only chakra of Naruto's he could sense was that which remained in the clearing, which meant one of two things. That he was once again cloaking his chakra signal, or that he'd been captured.

'_Is Naruto stronger than Kabuto?'_ He began running a simulation with a chibi Naruto and a chibi Kabuto in his head. His adrenaline and none-too-clear mind made Kabuto the victor. He groaned as he saw the chibi Kabuto dancing up and down on Naruto's body. Still clutching the dagger in his hand he ran back towards the castle.

_In the boys dorm—_

"_No…not Cho."_

_Voldemort laughed as he pointed the wand at Cho. "She will die Potter." He sneered._

_Cho was lying unconscious against a shelf filled with glass spheres. They were not in a place Harry could recognize. "It's me you want!" he said desperately. "Let her go!"_

_Voldemort inclined his head to one side. "That is a deal…which I would gladly accept." He laughed evilly again, and the world exploded into pain._

Harry gripped his scar, and Ron was next to him in an instant. "Harry? Another nightmare? You're suppose to be stopping them!"

Harry didn't answer, instead pulling the covers back and grabbing his clothes from the stool next to the bed. He began changing as Ron looked in bewilderment. "What are you doing?"

"What does it look like?"

"Where are you going?"

Harry pulled his cloak on and buckled it at his neck. He looked at Ron very seriously and asked "Would you believe what I say."

Ron nodded rather hesitantly.

"I'm going to go and save Cho. Voldemort's got her."

Ron forgot about what he'd agreed to. "There's no _way_ he could have Cho! The whole castle would know if Cho was kidnapped!"

"What if he only got her when we were all asleep?"

"Voldemort can't just go breaking in on Hogwarts."

"Listen! Believe it or not, I'm going to save Cho!" He stormed towards the door.

"Wait."

He looked around and saw Ron trying to pull on a jumper and a shoe at the same time. "I'm coming too."

Sakura heard them as they tried to sneak past her door, and she and Hermionie slammed it open to intercept them on the steps. Harry and Ron jumped a mile into the air.

"And where do you think you're going?" Sakura asked sweetly. Hermionie smiled dangerously at Ron.

Ron held a hand up between him and Harry and whispered to them from behind it "He thinks he's going to go and save Cho from Voldemort." He quite obviously thought that Harry had gone insane.

Shoving him angrily, Harry said "I know what I saw. Voldemort's got Cho!"

"And he's got Naruto."

They all looked to see Sasuke trudging towards them. He looked half-dead. Sakura rushed towards him and grabbed his arm, supporting him. "What?"

Sasuke opened his hand and showed her the dagger. She frowned, and then gasped as she finally recognized it. "That's-"

"-the dagger I gave Naruto on his birthday" he finished quietly.

He collapsed onto the floor, looking up at them with a lost expression on his face. "What do we do?"

And now, Harry finally felt there was somewhere he could help the shinobi. "We go and get them back."

"We have no idea where they are."

Harry cleared his throat. "Actually…I do."

Sasuke jumped up and grabbed him by the collar. "Where?!" He began shaking him.

Sakura pulled him off before he could choke Harry. Gasping for air, Harry said "The…Ministry…Of…Magic."

_With Naruto—_

Naruto shoved the tombstone into the grave and then dusted his hands. He'd known Kabuto for a short while as a friend, and even though it'd all been an act, he felt he still deserved a burial.

The grave was a short distance away from the school gates, still in the Forbidden Forest. It wouldn't be good for students to see a grave.

He sneezed and began to shiver. He had his cloak, but it was nowhere near as warm as his favorite orange and black jacket.

'_Better go back and get it.'_

After the fight with Kabuto, he was feeling a lot more relaxed. It was strange, but violence seemed to calm him.

As he walked past Hagrid's hut, he sensed 5 chakra signals that shouldn't have been there. He looked to the source which was the top of a hill a few hundred meters away.

There, 5 dark winged creatures were lifting themselves up into the air and flying off into the sky. On their backs were Sasuke, Sakura, Harry, Hermionie and Ron.

He watched as they flew further and further into the night sky and were swallowed up by a dark cloud.

'_What are they doing?'_ he wondered.

* * *

Slightly angsty...

Next Chapter- A reunion of sorts will occur.


	15. The Beginning of the End

" "- speaking

_' '- thinking_

**" "- kyuubi/ inner sakura**

* * *

**_--Chapter Fifteen--_**

**_--The Beginning of the End--_**

Naruto watched the 5 winged creatures and their riders disappear into the dark, night sky.

'_What are they doing?'_ he wondered. He felt a pang of sadness. _'Why are they leaving without telling me?'_

He sneezed again and rubbed his nose gingerly, pulling his cloak tighter around himself. _'Better get that jacket first.'_

He began to walk up towards the direction of Hagrid's Hut, but before he'd taken more than 5 steps something alerted him and he turned around to face the dimness of the trees.

"Come out" he said. "I've had enough games tonight."

For a moment the shape didn't answer, perhaps hoping that they'd escape notice by staying still. She soon figured out however that it was no use. Naruto could see her incredibly clearly next to the oak tree.

Umbridge stepped into the light from Hagrid's window, her wand raised at Naruto and her face a mixture of both fear and triumph. She looked rather messy in comparison to her usual self and somewhat tired.

Bored, Naruto yawned and inquired "What are you doing here? Not following me I hope?"

Umbridge looked coldly at him and said "That's exactly what I was doing Uzumaki."

Naruto froze in the middle of his yawn and looked at Umbridge in doubt. She gave him a callous grin and took a step closer. "I followed you when I saw you entering the forest. I was quite bored when you were sleeping, however, the wait paid off." Her grin was growing wider and wider.

Naruto narrowed his eyes and guessing what was coming next, he readied himself for the worst possible scenario.

She pointed her wand straight at his heart. "I now have enough reason to dispose of you. You killed someone and the evidence is their body on these very grounds. Therefore, under Educational Decree 507 I shall punish you as I see fit for the protection of Hogwarts. By execution."

Naruto laughed humorlessly and lifted his hands in a shrug. "You haven't been able to lay a single finger on me once this year. Do you honestly think that you could kill me now?"

Umbridge lowered her wand ever so slightly. "It is true that up until now, I haven't been able to harm you once. But I assure you this time it will be different. Because for one thing…I am no longer playing by that muggle lover Dumbledore's rules."

Naruto laughed again and a headache began beating through his forehead. "And what's that suppose to mean?"

Umbridge didn't give an answer. Instead, she looked up into the sky, and Naruto followed her gaze. His question was answered as a dark shroud he'd alleged to be a storm cloud descended upon them. He looked in dread at the tattered beings now falling from the cloud in the dozens...all towards him. He swung around to Umbridge and glowered at her. "Bitch."

Umbridge merely regarded him self-righteously and then called to the Dementors "Finish him." She stepped back, confident that he stood no chance against them.

In one huge flock, the Dementors began swooping down.

Drawing himself into a battle stance Naruto growled. "Grr. I'm not going to give up just yet! Doton: Underground!"

The Dementors stopped their swooping and hovered in confusion as they tried to find their missing prey. Beneath the ground, Naruto was pulling out his weapons and preparing them. He shivered as even separated by rock and soil he could still feel the chilliness of the Dementors.

He grit his teeth and forced himself to concentrate on his task instead of the memories flashing through his head. Finishing his preparations, Naruto estimated where the Dementors were and with another hand sign was above the ground 10 feet away from them.

"The same tactic won't work on me twice!" Holding the scroll sealed full of kunai, blades and other weapons in his hands, he pulled back one hand and with the other gave a powerful forward flick. He let go of the other end of the scroll and observed as his weapons poofed into existence and went flying towards the Dementors faster than the eye could see.

Umbridge sneered at him as the weapons just flew through the Dementors tattered robes without causing any visible harm to them at all. "Dementors do not fear weapons. Foolish boy."

"We'll see who's the foolish one after" he muttered under his breath.

Umbridge frowned, but then she shrieked as she saw the sizzling objects on the kunai. There were tags, and also…lanterns? Remembering the explosive power of the tags, Umbridge threw herself away, landing upside down in the bushes. The Dementors did no such thing, standing their ground with their deformed and covered heads facing the volley. They obviously saw no threat.

How wrong they were.

Naruto smiled and placed both hands together, two forefingers before his face. "Katsu! (explode/activate/go I think)"

The explosive tags demolished half the area, leaving a huge indentation in the earth and blowing the Dementors back several feet but otherwise doing nothing more than shocking them. Incensed, they pulled themselves up only to meet the second attack.

The small lanterns which had been flying behind the kunai now burst into light and the Dementors could not take it. Each lantern glowed as bright as the sun with rays flying in all directions. Shielding his eyes, Naruto turned away.

Giving unearthly screeches, the Dementors flew back off into their night. The air returned to warm Spring weather, and Naruto was once more left alone with Umbridge.

Umbridge struggled out of the bush she'd thrown herself in and pulled a twig and some leaves from her hair, seething.

Amused, Naruto said "I told you the same trick won't work twice. Too bad."

Umbridge flourished her wand and snarled, her eyes turning to slits. "I shall take no more from you!" she shrieked furiously "Avada-"

RAAAAWRRR

The very ground shook and Umbridge was knocked face forwards into the dirt, her wand flying from her hand. Even Naruto wobbled a bit. He stabled himself and looked up to see a familiar face. A _huge_ familiar face.

"Hello Grawp."

The giant roared again and Hagrid gave Naruto a bushy grin from where he was sitting on Grawp's shoulder. Umbridge was screaming up at Hagrid now, the appearance of Grawp seemingly having driven all other thoughts from her mind. She grabbed her wand from the ground and began shooting spells at Grawp and Hagrid, but these did nothing more than bounce off their enchanted skin.

Grawp looked down at her in puzzlement. "WHAR ARRR YOU DOING?"

Umbridge screamed as Grawp wrapped one colossal hand around her and lifted her up before his face. He opened his mouth and they all thought for a moment that he might actually eat her. Instead, he gave a huge noise which sounded like a belch and they wrinkled their noses.

Umbridge was screaming like hell on Earth. Having given up casting spells she had resorted to beating against the fist that held her with her own punches. Naruto smirked at the weak attempts.

Running forwards he jumped up to leap onto Grawp's other shoulder and then walked down the arm to Grawp's wrist.

"Get me out of here!" Umbridge shrieked at him.

Naruto raised an eyebrow at her. "Give me one good reason why I should."

"You will regret this -!"

"Grawp. Do me a favor yeah? Take her into the forest and bury her or something."

Hagrid spluttered. "Ain't that goin too far?"

"Not at all." Grawp began to turn and Naruto made to jump to the ground.

Umbridge was wild eyed now. Desperately, she screamed "Your friends will die! Where they are going, they will never return!"

In a flash, Naruto was at Umbridge with a hand around her throat. Grawp had stopped walking and was looking inquiringly down at them from his boulder-sized eyes. Umbridge was slowly beginning to gasp for air, clutching pathetically at the hand blocking her air supply.

Naruto's eyes flashed and he tightened his grip. "Where did they go?" His voice was dead serious.

Umbridge looked defiant and tried to turn her head away from him. He tightened his grip even more and she began to enter a shade of purple. Hagrid spectacled anxiously from Grawp's shoulder, flailing his arms for Naruto to stop.

"I...I'll…tell…tell…you!" Umbridge gasped.

Naruto let go of her and she massaged her throat furiously, swallowing air like crazy. He felt no pity for her as he watched.

"Well. Where are they? You are in no position to bargain so if you know what's good for you you'll tell me."

Unhappily Umbridge averted her eyes from looking at him and muttered "The Department of Mysteries."

"What's Harry going there for?!" Hagrid yelled from above.

"Like I would know" Umbridge snorted. "And frankly, I don't care why he's going, as long as he and his idiotic friends don't come back."

Remembering that an extremely protective Naruto was within hearing range of her, Umbridge stopped talking and looked fearfully at him. But he had let it go and jumped to the ground.

Hagrid said something to Grawp and Grawp put him down on the floor with his other hand. Then, the giant began to walk back into the Forest with Umbridge still clutched in his hands and demanding desperately for her to be put down.

"What are you going to do?" Hagrid asked as Grawp's footsteps faded into the distance.

Naruto didn't answer, putting his hands together into the Ram seal with a look of concentration on his face. He closed his eyes and said "Stand back."

Hagrid shuffled backwards nervously and noticed that Naruto had begun glowing blue. The blue glow was accumulating, growing more thicker as he watched. The blonde and red hair began to float eerily, and Naruto's brow furrowed with the effort.

Hagrid began to wring his spotted handkerchief.

And then, the cerulean eyes snapped open. With a scream the blue chakra that he'd gathered exploded from it's position around him outwards in all directions.

"Merlin's beard!" Hagrid went down onto the ground and watched fearfully at the blue waves which were emanating outwards from Naruto flew over him. The air was rippling as though there was a heat wave, and he could actually feel _power_ vibrating.

Naruto himself collapsed forwards, breathing heavily. When all the blue waves had disappeared from the clearing, Hagrid rushed towards the boy and leaned over him. "Are you k?!"

Not having enough breath to answer Naruto just waved a hand and let himself rest sideways on the ground, eyes still closed.

Extremely worried, Hagrid rushed to his Hut and returned with a table-sized bucket of water and a cloth.

Wetting the cloth, he placed it onto Naruto's heated brow. He seemed to be in so much pain…

'_Poor kid.'_

Gradually, the heavy breathing subsided and it looked almost as though Naruto were sleeping restlessly. Hagrid sat down cross-legged next to his head.

He was mighty startled when Naruto's eyes opened suddenly and he sat up. The cloth fell from his head and Naruto lazily picked it up and plopped it in the bucket.

"Stop scarin' me!" Hagrid yelled.

Naruto laughed innocently and scratched his head. "Sorry." His eyes then glazed over and he was looking solemn. _'They're so far away already.'_

"I've found where they are." He pointed a finger to North-West. "They're 15 kilometers in that direction, getting further all the while."

"How…?" stuttered Hagrid.

"I sent out my chakra, and waited for the rebound of either Sasuke or Sakura's chakra. I wouldn't be able to sense Harry's or the others because their chakra levels are so low."

He tried to stand up and wobbled. Hagrid quickly grabbed one of his arms and helped support him. Wincing, Naruto clutched at his chest and smiled weakly at him. "I can't catch up to them on foot in this state. Do you have any way I can get there?"

Hagrid thumped his chest and stood up straighter. "If yer' helping Harry, I'd give my life."

He put two of his fingers into his mouth and let out a long, high-pitched whistle. Naruto clamped his hands over his ears and screwed his eyes shut in pain. "Oww!"

"Oops, sorry. Forgot you lot were sensitive to sound."

He cast his eyes around the clearing and then smiled. "Ahh…it's worked." He nodded his head towards the bushes and Naruto slowly turned. His heart plummeted as he saw a skeletal Thestrel emerging. Oh, how he despised them…

"Well", said Hagrid. "On you go."

"What?!" Naruto flicked his eyes from the Thestrel to Hagrid and back. "On that?!"

Impatiently, Hagrid said "How else do yer think you're gonna get there? They're on Thestrel, and the quickest way for yer to catch up is on Thestrel. Actually, it's the only way, since you can't use a broomstick n' I can't set up a Portkey. There's always the option of Floo Powder, but that's too-"

"Okay, Okay! I'll get on!"

Hagrid nodded and Naruto hesitantly jumped onto the Thestrel's back. He asked Hagrid "Aren't you coming?"

Hagrid waved his hands down his body and asked "Tell me do yer honestly think a Thestrel can carry me?"

"Good point." Naruto sat on the Thestrel's back and grabbed a fistful of mane. "Now what?"

Hagrid walked to behind the Thestrel and grinned at Naruto. Naruto didn't like that grin.

Hagrid raised his hand, and Naruto's heart skipped a beat. _'Oh no…'_

"TO THE MINISTRY OF MAGIC!" Hagrid roared. He brought his hand slamming down onto the Thestrel's rump, and Naruto could've sworn it was revenge for him not liking it. The Thestrel screamed and began running forwards and he almost slipped backwards off it.

It spread its bony wings and propelled itself into the sky. Naruto gripped tightly on and looked to where Hagrid was waving from the ground.

Hagrid laughed and shouted "BRING 'EM ALL SAFELY BACK FOR ME!"

"Will do" whispered Naruto.

* * *

In the Ministry of Magic 5 people crept unnoticed past the golden Fountain of Magical Brethren. The faces of the handsome wizard and pretty witch looked sternly down at them, witnesses to their intrusion. 

Sasuke was clutching his stomach. He really didn't think he liked flying.

Concentrating, he tried to sense Naruto's chakra. There was nothing. Not only could he not sense Naruto's chakra, he couldn't even sense Sakura's, and she was right next to him. _'This place is overflowing with magic…it would be too dangerous if there were enemies here.'_

"Do you know where we're going?" he asked Harry.

Harry nodded. "I recognize this place from my Ministry hearing. The last time I made it to the end of a corridor, but then I woke-" He lay a hand over his mouth.

Sasuke stopped walking and the air crackled as he turned deadly eyes to Harry. "Are you meaning to tell me" he said dangerously "that you _dreamt_ all of this?"

"No!" Harry said anxiously "I mean, it was _in_ a dream, but it's not actually-"

Sasuke nodded his head and he began punching his hand with a fist.

"It's real okay!" Harry angrily said.

"Sasuke", Hermionie said quietly "It is real. We don't have time to explain now but Harry can see into Voldemort's thoughts. What he saw must have been real."

Sakura placed a hand on Sasuke's shoulder, calming him. "We still have to rescue Naruto." she reminded him.

Sasuke looked doubtfully at Harry and then sighed, withdrawn. "Whatever. If it's a chance to find Naruto I'll take it, however slim it may be."

Harry was glad he'd neglected to tell them that his vision hadn't been from Voldemort's point of view but from his own. He frowned as he realized that all his past visions had been from Voldemort's eyes. He pushed the disturbing thought aside. No need to cause any more worry than they were already feeling. _'Cho…'_

"C'mon. It's this way."

They continued walking down a dungeon-like corridor lined with torches on the brick walls.

There were doors on each side every now and again, but Harry just lead them right past these without a moment's thought.

'_I guess he does know where he's going.'_

At the end of the corridor was a single black door. Harry pushed it open and they all filed into a circular room with more doors all around. Not thinking, Sasuke closed the door behind him and the room darkened significantly. He panicked as the doors began spinning around them. _'What is this?!'_

The wizards and witch had taken out their wands and watched as the room stopped revolving. Hermionie held her breath as she walked towards the door they'd come in from and opened it.

Through the door, they could see a room lined with shelves of books. "The rooms have changed" she said frightfully. "They want to trap us here." She looked wildly around and said "We won't be able to get out!"

"Don't worry." Sakura said. She walked to a door 2 to the right of the one Hermionie had opened and pushed it. It revealed a recognizable brick corridor lined with torches. She winked at Hermionie and said "The speed is nothing for us." To Harry she asked "Now which room are we suppose to go through?"

"In my dream, I walked straight." He pointed at the door directly opposite the one Sakura was holding open. "It should be that one."

Sakura nodded, and her and Sasuke went to either side of the door. The trio stood back as Sasuke placed his hand on the knob and turned it. He nodded to Sakura and he pushed it open so violently it swung on its hinges.

Weapons were in their hands in instantaneously and they scanned the exposed room for any threats.

Their eyes watered as they looked at the stunning array of items. There was even more trinkets in there than Dumbledore's office! "Safe."

They cautiously entered the room and walked deeper in, down past tables stacked with papers and shelves adorned with strange, and un-doubtfully dangerous items.

"Wow!" Sakura breathed. She pointed to a miniature horse which was neighing at her from the top of a shelf. "It's so beautiful."

"Don't touch anything" Harry warned.

Ron nudged him and he looked where he was pointing. And he groaned.

Everyone else followed their gaze and they despaired as they saw 5 more doors. "How many doors does this place have?!"

"We'll just have to try them all" Hermionie said.

"The room we're after has heaps of shiny stuff in it" Harry reminded.

She walked over to the middle one and laced her fingers through the handle. "This one first?"

She pushed it open and looked for a split second before slamming it back shut. The others were staring with jaws loose. "Were those…brains?"

Trying to wipe the horrendous image from his head, Harry pushed the door on the far right but found it wouldn't move. "Alohomora!"

With a click, the door bean to swing painstakingly slowly open. Even before it had completely opened, he knew it was the right one. "It's this one!"

Without waiting for the others to reply he ran straight in. Sasuke cursed as he followed. "Idiot."

The room was indeed very shimmery. Light from enchanted floating orbs was reflecting everywhere off the glass surfaces of spherical, glass balls which filled shelves for as far as the room seemed to go. Which was out of sight.

"Where now?" Sasuke asked sharply. _'I'm coming Naruto.'_

"Row 729." Harry pointed at the dusty numbers which were engraved on each shelf. They were currently at Row 588.

The people behind the two watched as they began running down the aisles towards 729.

Sasuke and Harry were both fearful of what they might find in that grimy enclosure. _'Please be alright.'_

At 728 they slowed to almost a complete stop. Looking at each other in unease they calmed their speeding pulses, then bit by bit, went around the corner and looked into the space.

There was no one there.

_--You guys are probably thinking 'this is so similar to the book' but I assure you, that it shall only be this chapter.--_

"What?!"

Harry thought frantically _'Shit! What if it really was just a dream!'_

The others had caught up and were sighing with relief when they saw that it was deserted except for them.

sullenly, Sasuke began looking around the shelves. The writing on a particular orb caught his eye. He walked closer to make sure of what he saw then said "Harry. That thing has your name on it."

"What?" Distracted, Harry walked over to where Sasuke was and noted curiously that it indeed had his name on it. Without another word he reached out a hand and picked it up, ignoring Ron and Hermionie yells telling him not to.

Twirling it around in his fingers, Harry admired the engraved writing on it, and the perfect craftsmanship with which it had been created.

Sasuke was about to ask him what it was about when an unknown voice distracted him. He whipped out a kunai and Sakura did the same. Harry, Ron and Hermionie had their wands out and all were looking at the entrance to the aisle. _'Damm this air! I can't sense anything!'_

"Hand it over", came Lucious Malfoy's voice. The 4 figures on either side of him also had wands drawn.

"This?" Harry held up the sphere. "Why would you want it?"

"Yes, that. If you value the lives of you and your friends, you will give us that immediately. It is not I that want it, but the Dark Lord – "

Sasuke was in front of Malfoy and about to kill him –

A hand out of nowhere was shoved deep into his stomach and he was winded. Blown back several feet to be caught by Sakura, he gasped, gripping at his abdomen.

Sakura pulled back his shirt and gasped at the 5 glowing marks now on his stomach. As Sasuke looked heavily up at her, she said, scared "He's sealed your chakra."

Both of them looked at the cloaked outline with dawning realization, knowing only one person who could, and would do that to him.

The man who'd attacked him cackled, and a hood was thrown back. The scarred face that was revealed was almost unrecognizable, but those eyes…they could never be forgotten.

"Sasuke-kun" Orochimaru said. "How is my little _servant_?"

The Death Eaters jeered and Sasuke pulled himself up with Sakura's help. He glared daggers at his old sensei, and also…fear. "Where is Naruto?" he spat.

"My, my…shouldn't you be happy to see your old shishou?"

Harry, Hermionie and Ron of course had no idea what was going on, and were watching confusedly.

"Ahh!" Orochimaru pointed a finger in the air in an act of fake remembrance. "I am forgetting. You and that fox of yours tried to kill me last time!" Orochimaru shook his head and focused his pupils on Sasuke's, sending out vibes of killer intent. His next sentence was spoken with a voice as evil and as cold as the ice trapped at the poles.

"You should know Sasuke-kun, that I _always _have my revenge." Sasuke shivered beneath the gaze.

"I think it is time…that I helped clear the world of a certain nuisance."

Not knowing what he meant, they watched in confusion as he waved a hand and a figure appeared on the ground at his feet. Dirty, blonde hair hid the face from view but Sasuke instantly recognized it and the torn ANBU outfit. He would always recognize that profile.

"Naruto!"

No answer came from the unconscious figure and Orochimaru snickered before opening his mouth wide, the lower jaw dislodging from the top. The handle of his legendary katana blade protruded, and the Golden Trio looked in horror and disgust as a full length blade was withdrawn.

Snapping shut his jaws and taking the katana in his right hand, Orochimaru placed the tip at Naruto's neck and sliced very slightly into the skin. A drop of red dripped down Naruto's throat and Sasuke groaned, fist trembling.

"Now…" Orochimaru said. He looked at Sasuke, enjoying the reaction he was getting. "…I wonder how you will react…when I do this!"

He slashed with the katana and a splash of blood appeared on the ground. A cut was now across Naruto's back, bleeding profoundly onto the grey tiles.

"Stop!"

"And…what of this?" He slashed again and this time a rip appeared across a thigh.

Vision blurred by tears, Sasuke tried running forwards but was blocked by a barrier. The Death Eaters had all created a defense with their combined strength. There was no way he was breaking that with no chakra.

"Sakura!" he shouted desperately. "Harry, do something!"

Sakura ran forwards and punched the field. It trembled but other than that, nothing happened. "That was my full strength!" Sakura screamed.

Harry, Ron and Hermionie had their wands together and uttered a spell which shot out a combined beam of purplish-pink which hit the barrier. But…3 fighting 5 was not going to work.

The beam was swallowed up by the barrier with a CRACK and the Golden Trio were thrown backwards, crashing onto the tables then falling behind them to land hard on the floor.

Orochimaru's mouth set itself into a straight line and he was no longer playing around. "Like I said just then…I will have my revenge!"

"No!" Sasuke beat desperately on the barrier as Orochimaru pulled the katana back…

He stabbed it forward and all the world was frozen in time as they saw the blade protruding from Naruto's chest, dripping in the blood which it had torn from his heart.

"AGGGHHHHHHHH!"

Sasuke fell forwards onto his knees, wailing as he looked at the body so close to him, yet which was unapproachable.

Orochimaru laughed and pulled the katana from the body, kicking the corpse off it and into the wall. He put the katana to his face and licked some of the blood off of the blade with his snake-like tongue. "Mmm…"

Sasuke just kneeled there staring at Naruto, the look on his face unreadable. His eyes were unfocused, and the tears which were flowing fell onto the floor with gentle 'plops.' "Naruto" he whispered. "Naruto…Naruto…"

The defensive barrier was gone but he didn't notice, nor did he care when Orochimaru stood before him and looked his nose down at him.

"Poor Sasuke-kun…what hope is there for you when little Naruto is gone?"

Sasuke didn't answer and Orochimaru grinned. "So _weak_. How could you have ever hoped to defeat Itachi?"

He raised the katana over Sasuke's head, ignoring the cries which were coming from the others.

"I have no more tolerance for you." He voice had an air of finality. "I gave you a chance to become my honorable vessel which you denied. Such a foolish mind is not fit to be a shinobi, nor to live."

The katana was descending, down towards Sasuke who was kneeling before the spread out arms of Death. He closed his eyes, no longer caring for an existence in which there was no Naruto...

Hands wrapped around his middle and his eyes flew open to see the katana miss and fly millimeters past his face as he was pulled back.

A heaving pulse beat against him as they landed next to Sakura and the others and he looked in disbelief at the person whom he could now recognize by his scent. The hands released him, and he was face to face with sapphire eyes and bright blonde hair.

Naruto was looking unsure, no longer knowing how he should be reacting. But when Sasuke grabbed him and pulled him into a hug he returned it instinctively, and finally knew that Sasuke had told the truth. He had never lied to him.

As Harry and the others looked in bewilderment at a person they'd just seen die, Sasuke and Naruto were all but cut off from them.

"How…?" Sasuke whispered. His tears were falling into the blonde hair and hanging from the tips before falling.

"Did you really think that I would be defeated that easily?"

Orochimaru's scream of rage broke them apart and Naruto glanced coldly at where his fake was lying against the wall. Beneath his gaze, it shimmered and changed into a brown haired person whom they didn't know.

"My brother's Inferi came in helpful" Orochimaru stated indifferently.

"That's a dirty trick" Naruto said in a low voice. "A Sennin sinking to that level…you bring shame to Tsunade and Jiraiya by sharing their title."

Sasuke noted with trepidation that Naruto was unnaturally pale, and his face was taut with pain. His voice was ever so feeble…He suspected he knew what was happening, but he didn't want to consider it.

"I would much prefer to not have anything to do with those to useless weaklings! Living for what they call their ties to their loved ones…hah! As if anyone would be able to surrender their own entirety for another!"

"Then what do you live for?" Naruto asked him.

"For myself."

Naruto shook his head sadly. "I guess some people can't change."

A crash took place above them and Naruto and Sasuke were forced to jump back to stand next to the others as 3 pairs of feet came down to meet the ground.

Karin fixed her glasses more securely on her nose, and Suigetsu was again holding that huge blade. Juugo's cursed seal had already activated and taken over more than a half of his body.

As they advanced on them, they took stood their ground, eyeing the opposition, calculating…

The odds were not pretty. Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura, Harry, Ron, Hermionie against four extremely powerful ninja and 5 more skilled wizards.

Lesson in ninja lore. When the odds aren't for you, change them until they are.

Naruto detonated several explosive tags he'd set up previously all around them. The explosion caused the ghastly apparitions from the spheres as well as dust and debris to fill the entire area and start flying down the corridor.

Coughing on the dust, the enemy opened their eyes as it dissipated to see that their 6 adversaries had disappeared from sight.

Orochimaru snarled, gripping so tightly onto his katana that his own blood was dripping to the floor.

"FIND THEM!" he roared. "BUT LEAVE THE UCHIHA AND FOX TO ME!"

* * *

Next Chapter- Whee...lots of killing!

Please review more!


	16. Fatalities

This one's rather short, gomen nasai! I'm finding it hard to write these last few chapters...hmm. Anyhows, im pretty sure that i will make this story 20 chapters. I just have this obssession with making numbers right!!

Enjoy!

" "- talking

_' '- thinking_

**" "- kyuubi/inner sakura**

* * *

**_--Chapter Sixteen--_**

**_--Fatalities--_**

At the circular room the 6 of them slammed the door behind them and stopped to catch their breath as the doors flew around in a swirling spiral of brown and black color. As it began to slow down, the ears of the ninja twitched and their eyes focused on the movement of one particular door.

"They're coming" Sakura said.

"What are we going to do?!" Ron yelled.

"There's too many of them to directly attack." Naruto breathed quietly. "We'll have to split up and take them on separately." He turned slowly and began pointing. "Sakura, you go with Hermionie. Harry, you and Ron. And –"

"I'm not leaving you." Sasuke insisted firmly.

"I wasn't going to say anything like that!"

"Whatever."

"Okay. Everyone's got their pairings. The moment the doors stop completely, pick a door and go through immediately, making sure you close it. I can hear them already on the other side, they're waiting for the moment they can enter."

The others all nodded at him, and then in their pairs, they faced away from each other towards a separate side of the room.

The doors came to a jarring halt…and three doors slammed shut as another began to unlock.

"Where are they?!" Karin yelled as she bounded into the center of the room.

The wizards and other shinobi slowly followed her in. Suigetsu wrinkled his nose as he sniffed the air cautiously, searching for familiar scents. He smiled. "Well well…it seems they've decided to split in the hope of weakening us."

"That won't work! I…need…blood!" Juugo gripped at his head as the uncontrollable side of him began to wrestle for dominance.

"Cool it hothead. You'll get all the blood you'll ever want it due time" Suigetsu assured him. Juugo calmed visibly and the seal marks retreated slightly.

Suigetsu looked with distate at the 5 wizards staring wordlessly at them three and made no attempt to hide the sneer across his shark-like features. "Well. We will also have to split up to look for them. I suggest you five split into two groups of one and a loner. Us three" he waved his hand at himself, Karin and Juugo "will work alone." He turned his back on the wizards and wielding his sword haphazardly, went through one door.

Malfoy's eyes glinted dangerously for a moment, but he knew he stood no chance against the shinobi. He jerked a finger at 3 of the others, and they split off into a pair and another single who made their ways to different exits. He nodded to the left over cloaked figure, who wordlessly followed him to a door.

Karin pushed open another door and swept into the room beyond. _'Naruto Uzumaki…you will pay.'_

* * *

Sasuke and Naruto ran past a room filled with weapons, a dungeon cell, and then down a flight of stairs which were taking them further and further below ground level. 

Looking behind them, Sasuke saw and heard no one. "Nobody's followed us…yet." Coming to a halt, the two of them leant on the cement walls as they recovered from the run.

Eyes closed in pain, Naruto said "We'll have to keep on moving, and hope that they'll split up further to try and find us." He opened his eyes a little. "God thank this contaminated air."

Sasuke nodded half-heartedly and touched his hand to where the chakra seals were on his stomach. _'I've never felt more vulnerable in my life.'_

Meanwhile, Sakura and Hermionie were in one of the hearing rooms for court cases, hiding behind one of the desks at which the listeners would sit. They were on opposite sides of the room so as to give them better coverage should anyone enter.

The room was quite small, being only a few yards wide at most. The furniture would provide good cover should weapons or spells be shot, and if necessary…could be used as ammo.

They waited…Hermionie's neck began to ache from the strain but around half and hour later, Sakura could hear footsteps arrive and then stop outside their door. She signaled to Hermionie under the table and both of them looked raptly at the door. Taking her gloves from her pocket and pulling them on, she flexed her fingers as she waited.

Outside, voices debated whether to enter and then one of the people stingily eased the door open a crack, grumbling all the while and not even bothering to actually look in the room.

A crack was too much.

A beam of green went directly into the eye which was visible in the gap and the Death Eater screamed in agony as he moved to grip the place where his eye had previously been. Blood streamed, blinding his other eye as well. Unknowingly moving forwards he knocked the door fully open without meaning to, also exposing his partner.

As his partner began to make a run for it, Sakura was behind him before he could put his foot down. Her fist glowing blue, she smashed it ruthlessly into the back of the fleeing Death Eater's head and he collapsed like a puppet with it's strings cut. She then kicked the other Death Eater still screaming in pain into the opposite wall, where he left a bloody stain in the crumbling brick as he slid down to lie still on the carpet thereafter…

Harry, having been in too many scenarios involving being crept up on to be comfortable, was flat out refusing to hide and be forced out like drowned rat.

Instead, the moment he and Ron had reached an acceptably large room with a fair amount of cover he'd stopped and pulled out his wand and faced the entrance resolutely.

Ron had kept on running cluelessly but when he realized Harry was no longer running next to him he'd for a moment looked frantically around him before seeing Harry at the doorway.

He ran back towards Harry. "Are you OK Harry?! Are you hit?!"

Harry pushed Ron's hand away as it made to inspect him for any damage. "I'm fine."

"Then what are you standing here for! We've gotta get moving!"

"I'm going to wait for them" Harry said calmly.

Angrily, Ron exclaimed loudly "Sometimes, I really wonder if I should have sent you to a mental house long ago. Come on! We can't fight them, even Naruto and the others had to run." The thought of the shinobi escaping seemed to have made it alright to Ron that they should get out of there too. He pulled urgently on Harry's sleeve, but it had no effect whatsoever.

"Go then." Harry said. "I won't make you stay, but I'll have to end up facing _him_ sooner or later anyway. Now is as good a time as any."

Helplessly, Ron put his hands up in a gesture of 'I give up' and then said "When did I ever leave you?"

Harry smiled gratefully and thumped a hand onto Ron's shoulder. "Thanks."

"No time for touching reminiscing!"

Luscious Malfoy's voice followed by the unmistakable whooshing of a curse forced Harry to push Ron out of the way before he threw himself to the side away from the curse. He looked up at the figure shadowed in the light from the entrance.

Malfoy was alone, his partner having split off at one of the previous forks.

'_We can win' _Harry thought. _'We'll just have to distract him somehow. Come on Ron!'_ He looked pleadingly.

"OI! FATASS!"

'_NOT LIKE THAT RON!'_

Malfoy's body froze and he turned his eyes slowly towards Ron, who was as pale as a ghost and looking thoroughly sorry. "Would you like to repeat that?" Sparks were flying from the end of his wand as he advanced on Ron.

Ron gulped. "I- I said- that you're a _fatass_."

Malfoy's wand was shaking now as he could barely contain his power in his rage. "No one likes cheek! Ava-"

"Good night." Harry said. Rapping his wand hard on Malfoy's neck, Malfoy crumbled and his wand rolled out of his hand as green sparks showered upon him.

Still looking scared, Ron retrieved Malfoy's wand and stuck it in his pocket. "Best keep this for in case he wakes up" he said in forced calm. "How long do you reckon he'll be out for?"

"Enough for until the Ministry officials come." Harry muttered.

The two of them moved the body to one side and then walked back the way they'd come, feeling that there would be more need for them there.

'_One down.'_

* * *

"FOUND YOU!" 

Karin stood victoriously at the top of the stairs, a finger pointing at Naruto and Sasuke who were looking at her in aggravation, sweat drops on the sides of their heads.

"What type of a ninja _are_ you?" Naruto asked in hilarity.

Karin fixed her glasses and looked at him questioningly. "Huh?"

"I mean, what type of a ninja," Naruto began "Will _alert_ their enemy when they could've crept up on them and be done with it already?"

Sasuke smiled and leant over. As Naruto frowned he whispered "If I recall correctly, I think that _you _are that type of ninja. Or do you not remember all those crazy adventures back then?"

Naruto flushed and scratched his head guiltily. "Oh. Right."

Sasuke beamed at the color returning to Naruto's pale cheeks, a beam which Karin did not miss and which sparked the crazy fan girl gene in her.

She was glaring down at the two of them and inside, Naruto was grinning. _'A little bit of teasing won't hurt' _he thought.

"**Get serious!"**Kyuubi growled quietly. It shivered as it felt Naruto's contact with Sasuke from where it was. **"Damm this connection with you!"**

Putting one hand in Sasuke's hair Naruto pulled him closer and licked Sasuke's lips before enclosing them, his eyes watching Karin expand with rage the whole time. _'Hah! Take that bitch!'_

Sasuke had caught on to what he was doing and was rolling his eyes, but returning the movement nonetheless as he stood there. He too, was satisfied to see that Karin was positively hopping mad with anger.

"Why you…!" Pulling her sleeves up in a most un-ladylike way Karin stomped down the stairs two at a time, blinded by her jealousy.

"Ahaha." Naruto pulled back from Sasuke, laughing at the expression on Karin's face, thus further increasing her velocity.

"Leave this one to me." Naruto whispered to Sasuke.

Sasuke nodded.

Facing Karin, Naruto grinned and waited till she was at the bottom of the steps.

"I'm gonna get revenge for Sasuke!" Karin shrieked. "You…you monster!"

Naruto raised his eyebrows at her. "What are you on about?"

"You took away Sasuke's innocence!"

Naruto spluttered and Sasuke suppressed a laugh.

Kyuubi too, was having a hard time containing it's laughter as it rolled around on it's back in it's chamber.

Looking Karin pointedly in the eye, Naruto shouted "Heck?! He kissed me first!"

"Not true dobe" Sasuke called from his spot. "You're the one who fell on me on our first day as Genin."

"That one didn't count!" Naruto shouted back.

Karin's aura was black now, and she was looking towards the floor and trembling as she tried to contain herself. "You-are-going-DOWN!"

Opening her cloak, she revealed the kunai and other weapons attached on the insides. With a swish that made her look like a bat she dislocated 3 kunai from their positions at Naruto.

Naruto stood still as two went flying widely past his head and he deflected the last one on the silver armor on the back of his left glove. "You have really bad aim." He informed her stoutly.

"Oh?" Karin gave him an evil smile and he puzzled. Then he heard Sasuke shout.

'_What?' _He looked wildly around him for anything and then…_'Holy cow!'_

Quickly putting his right hand at the base of his left glove, he brought it up and swiftly removed the glove and armor, sending it flying to the ground several feet away from him.

As it fell to the ground, he stepped back from the purple smoke which was emitting from the scratch which the kunai had left. Looking at the 2 other kunai behind him, he saw that they were also giving off fumes.

He swung to Karin. "You use poison!"

"Not only" She pointed to the ground at his glove and Naruto glimpsed it as the purple smoke began to fade. His breath caught in his throat. _'Kami.'_

The glove had burned and twisted into an unrecognizable form. And not only that…the armor. The armor had been made at the best weapon's shop back in Konoha, and was suppose to be able to protect against almost anything.

'_So much for that' _Naruto thought grimly. The last bit of armor disappeared as the tiny amount of acid which had been able to get on it finished dissolving it all.

"My own creation." Karin said proudly. "And there's a lot more where that came from!"

This time, she flung at least a dozen weapons. Now knowing that it was impossible to deflect them, Naruto instead weaved through them towards Karin.

"I'm not that stupid!" Karin shouted.

As Naruto reached within 3 meters of her, she pulled apart her hands to reveal the string of kunai she had been keeping hidden in her sleeves. She let go of one end…and gave a flick.

'_!!'_

At least 50 were coming at him from all angles on all levels. "Impressive. But don't look down on me!"

As the first reached him, he flipped back gracefully. Placing his hands on the ground he twisted whilst still upside down, avoiding the next ones. He then jumped above 3 which would otherwise had gone straight through his chest. He continued dodging them with ease, and Karin watched with shimmering rage as her fatal weapons kept on missing him by the smallest, frustrating amount.

As the weapons began to thin out, she prepared to throw her next ones…

A _foot_ came down on her head and her eyes went wide before slacking and closing. She fell onto the floor and Naruto stood victoriously over her. He made the victory sign at Sasuke who smiled fondly as the Kage Bunshin Naruto disappeared.

KAPPOW

An elbow hit Naruto right where he had hit Karin and he fell on top of 'Karin' who disappeared in a poof. Holding the spot on the back of his head where he was now bleeding from, he looked up at the real Karin. "How did you know?"

Karin shook her hair back behind her and looked at him with abhorrence. "I specialize in sensing chakra." She said coolly. "No matter how little the chakra, as long as I want to, I can tell instantly where it is."

Shaking his head in frustration, Naruto decided to use an attack which he really didn't want to, but which he had no choice if he wanted to finish this quickly.

For the second time that night he put his hands together in the Ram seal.

Sasuke panicked as he saw that. "You can't use that now!" he screamed.

Naruto ignored him.

Karin gasped as the blue chakra appeared around him. The readings were confusing her senses…there was too much!

"What will you do" Naruto said "when it seems that I am everywhere?"

The chakra exploded forth and Naruto disappeared at the instant it did. Karin screamed as her mind almost exploded form the overload and she staggered in the release.

Naruto's voice came from the very air around her. " _You're nothing but a stupid fan girl. And you're annoying me too much._"

Karin screamed as the Futon needles shredded through her body from all directions. Her bloodied body fell in slow motion to the floor before sinking with a horrible oozing sound effect into a puddle of her own blood which was spreading steadily across the black bitumen.

Sasuke disregarded her and was instead searching all corners of the room for Naruto.

He found him, slouched over with legs outstretched against the brick in one corner.

Running towards him, Sasuke looked in dread at the blood which was trickling from Naruto's mouth, and at the pale eyes which seemed so deprived of life...

Naruto looked up at the sound of Sasuke's steps and attempted a weak smile.

Sasuke didn't return it, instead falling to his knees next to Naruto and grabbing his shoulders, violently shaking him. "You used it already tonight didn't you?! Didn't you?!" he shouted.

Naruto grabbed Sasuke's hands to stop the painful shaking. "Yes.." he quavered, and Sasuke groaned.

"You _know_ that if you use that _once_ it'll take you days to recover! And now you used it twice…it could kill you!"

Naruto gave a little shrug. "I won't die." He put his hand up. "Help me up will ya?"

His face still scanning Naruto with worry, Sasuke grabbed Naruto's outstretched hand and pulled him to his feet. He placed one of Naruto's arm's around his own and supported him as they walked past Karin's body and back up the stairs.

"Let's find the others." Naruto said weakly.

He noted absently that Kyuubi's presence was almost diminished.

* * *

Next Chapter- The arrival of Voldemort and Orochimaru!

_The Prologue of my new fic, 'End to Serenity' is now up! Note though, that this one is M, and also SasuNaru. A high school fic set in modern times. I hope you like!_


	17. My Last Stand

Endings are awfully damm hard to write!

" "- talking

_' '- thinking_

**" "- kyuubi/inner sakura**

* * *

**--_Chapter Seventeen--_**

**_--My Last Stand--_**

Naruto watched through foggy eyes as Sasuke supported him steadily up to the circular room. He couldn't put off the fatigue anymore- it was now biting into his very bones and forcing his brain to shut down. "Sasuke…" he murmured.

Sasuke turned his head slightly and in alarm took in the half closed eyes and ragged breathing.

"I…"

Naruto's head dropped onto his shoulder and for a moment Sasuke almost died, thinking Naruto had done just that. He quickly placed him on the floor and put a hand to his chest. Heartbeat. "Naruto! Naruto! Wake up!"

The blonde didn't budge and Sasuke began shaking him as he kept on calling out…

"_Naruto!"_

_The cry reverberated against the walls and water__ of the darkness, making ripples with it's force._

_Naruto heard it__ but could not answer it, even though he was fully awake in this alternate dimension- In his mind he needed no rest, no food, no water._

_He navigated his way to the chamber where he somehow knew Kyuubi was, and where he knew he had to go. He could feel the demon's chakra source calling out to him, but it was so faint…_

_The ankle deep water sloshed at his feet as he ran into the huge unit. He looked around the gloom urgently and at last spotted the pair of blood-red slits 10 feet above him, glaring and filled with pain._

"_Kyuubi!"_

_The huge fox stirred slightly at the shout and then managed to concentrate it's attention on the frantic blonde before it. What Naruto had felt in the real world, Kyuubi was feeling just as much in it's chamber._

_The great king of demons with a huge effort got up and sat back on its hunches. It's groaning and small yelps of pain did not go unnoticed by Naruto, and it added to all his troubles and worries._

"_**What do you want kit?"**__ Kyuubi asked gruffly. He actually knew full well what Naruto wanted but he was hoping that he could avoid answering._

_But that was not to be the case. _

"_You know don't you?__" Naruto demanded. "You always know what I'm thinking, and you always knew the answer. What's happening to us?"_

_Kyuubi gave a hollow laugh and it's tails flicked as it did. __**"But you know too. Like you said…I can see into your mind. You know perfectly well what is happening, but you don't want to accept it."**_

_Naruto had no answer but to just lower his head and look at the rippling water._

_Kyuubi sighed deeply. __**"I guess you want me to explain clearer don't you? But at the same time…you're scared."**_

"_I am…" Naruto whispered. "I'm scared of never seeing him again…of losing him forever."_

"_**One of those silly things humans assume" **__Kyuubi grumbled. __**"…when you die…it isn't forever."**_

_Naruto jerked his head up in surprise and then leapt next to Kyuubi's ear in an instant. "What do you mean?!" he shouted deafeningly. "Do you know what happens?!"_

"_**Get off my head you" **__the fox growled. __**"Yes. I know what happens, but I'm not going to telling you."**_

_Naruto began protesting and then Kyuubi snapped __**"Why do you want to know? Are you planning on dying then?"**_

_Taken back, Naruto yelled "Of course not!"_

_Kyuubi winced as the voice echoed in it's eardrums and worsened the pain it was feeling. __**"Then you'll find out when it happens. Which I'm afraid to say…isn't that much more of a wait."**_

"_What?" Naruto looked faintly at Kyuubi, and the demon felt great p__ity as through their connection he apprehended the unbelievable pain that was going through that small body._

"_**Look over there." **__Kyuubi pointed it's muzzle to the right of the chamber and Naruto followed it's gaze to where it was inclining._

_He breathed in fear as he saw the gates of Hell before him. Where previously had just been the pure darkness that was the edge of the cell, there was now cracks of red glowing against the black. Even as he watched, a crack widened and a patch of black crumbled away to reveal more blinding red beneath._

"_What is that?" he whispered._

"_**Don't you recognize it?" **_

_Naruto shook his head in __perplexity._

"_**It's the seal."**_

_And Naruto looked in dawning realization. __The red was very slowly connecting together, and he knew that at the end, it would be the exact seal which would appear on his abdomen whenever he used chakra. But…it didn't make sense._

"_What is the seal doing?!" A seal was meant to protect them, not cause them all this pain._

_Kyuubi shook it's head sadly and somewhat guiltily. __**"From the moment you discovered my existence in you, the seal began weakening. It is meant to keep me away from all outside this chamber, and by entering it you defeated it's cause. And then, when you decided to break the chamber yourself for my sake, you destroyed the foundations on which your father's seal was created."**_

"_**It is no longer stable" **__he finished. __**"The moment that the entire seal has materialized on this side of the chamber, it means that it is gone from the other. When that happens nothing will be keeping my chakra under control and both of us will die."**_

'_Die…?' The word resounded in Naruto's mind, making him feel faint and dizzy amongst a hundred other feelings. __But there was so much he still wanted to do. Become Hokage, fulfill his father's wishes. And above all, spend a long and happy life with Sasuke. _

"_Isn't there anything we can do?" he asked helplessly._

"…_**No kit. The moment the seal breaks, we will both be torn from this body."**_

_Naruto gave a sorrow-filled __cry and Kyuubi lowered its ears to keep out the heart wrenching sound._

"_What was the point of all this then?" Naruto choked. The tears were coming fast and thick and falling to mingle with the water below. "Why did I even bother living all this time, only for it to end like this?"_

"_**What do you mean LIKE THIS? What are you implying?!"**_

"_My whole life's been useless" Naruto whispered. "__I never accomplished anything."_

"_**Now is as good a time to start as ever you know."**_

"_I can't do anything right now! I was so weak that I had to come in here to recover." He punched the wall and it crumbled some more. _

"_**Stop that!" **__Kyuubi roared._

_Naruto kept on punching until a furry tail hoisted him backwards. He fell onto the floor to face the wrath of an extremely pissed off demon fox.._

"_**You say you've never accomplished anything in your life?**__**! You kid yourself. Who was the one who saved Gaara and Sasuke, as well as countless other people? If you're going to go down, then go down fighting."**_

_Naruto crawled to his feet but made no reply._

"_**Are you listening to me?!"**__he growled._

" _I'll go then" Naruto said tonelessly. "But…I…"__ He wouldn't be able to fight in his feeble state._

"_**Take my chakra now. It'll heal you, but once you're out of here, you won't be able to access anymore than what you already have." **_

_Naruto stumbled over to a giant paw and hugged it as bes__t as you can hug a claw. _

"_Thank you for everything."_

"_**My heart is bubbling" **__Kyuubi grumbled. __**"And I don't think that's good."**_

_Naruto gave a genuine laugh this time. "I'll see you later then!"_

He came to and realized he was in the suffocating clutches of Sasuke. He pulled gently at the arms around him and Sasuke, feeling the movement, let go.

"Naruto!"

"Hey there" he grinned. Kyuubi's chakra was working and he was feeling almost completely revitalized. "Miss me?"

'_I'm not going to tell him.'_

Sasuke gave him a playful punch on the head. "Don't do that again!"

'_I can't tell him.'_

"Ow!" he complained loudly. "What was that for?"

He jumped up and pulled Sasuke up with him. "No time to be sitting around! Let's go." He suddenly noticed a bloodied up body on the wall opposite where they had been sitting. He looked questioningly at Sasuke.

"Another Death Eater decided to come along." Sasuke shrugged. "Well then, aren't we going?"

Naruto looked around and then sheepishly asked "Actually…where are we?"

"Dobe." Sasuke sighed. He grabbed Naruto's hand and ignoring the blush creeping across both their faces, he began leading Naruto to the circular room. _'Is he really alright?' _he wondered. Sure, Naruto looked like he was all better, but…

When they entered, it was to find that the other four were already there.

Sakura put away the kunai she'd withdrawn as a precaution to their approach and inquired "Taken care of your side?"

The others all nodded and gave her the details.

"OK then... right now, there should be one more Death Eater, Suigestu, Juugo and Orochimaru." Sakura stated after they gave them their figures.

"And Voldemort." Harry added.

"Still not the best odds." Sasuke observed.

"We'll just have to make do with them." Naruto said. "We have to finish this quickly." He didn't know how long Kyuubi's chakra was going to remain for, and he sure didn't want to trial it.

The others nodded, thinking that he meant before all the Ministry Officials began arriving for work.

"What are we going to do?" Hermionie asked.

Naruto smiled rather evilly and asked "Lessee…do you guys prefer tracking them down by ourselves in groups, or do you want to have them come to us?"

"What do you mean, have them come to us?" Ron asked nervously.

"Have them come to us." Sasuke smirked.

"W-Wait." Ron and Harry and Hermionie stuttered. "What are you going to do?!"

Naruto was standing next to the wall and shot them what was meant to be innocent smile, but which in their eyes was sin.

"What better way to attract every hunter in the building by breaking it down?"

In his right hand he began forming his Futon Rasengan.

"Just don't make the place collapse." Sasuke muttered.

Naruto winked slyly at him. "Will do."

He slammed the completed Rasengan into the bricks and with satisfaction heard the sound as it crashed through all the walls beyond. Hermionie, Harry and Ron's eyes were wide and white.

When the dust cleared, he whistled and gave them all the thumbs up as he observed his handiwork.

'_I believe I've managed to go through a record-breaking ten walls.'_

He could already feel the toll on his body though. The pain in his abdomen began coming back but only as a fraction of what he had been feeling before. Determined not to let it show, he flashed all the others a grin.

"Now we play the waiting game."

"Do you have to make everything sound like a game?" Harry asked in displeasure.

"But it _is_ a game dear boy" came a voice.

(I'm starting to get sick of writing entrances)

Orochimaru, Juugo, Suigetsu all stood together, having appeared silently from thin air to the direct left of Harry. They all froze, completely not expecting them to arrive so quickly.

Juugo raised his fist back, and was just about to deliver a fatal blow to Harry…

A cold wind gusted through the room and a malicious, hissing voice cut through the atmosphere like a knife.

"_I said leave Potter to me!"_

There was a sudden feeling of foreboding, the arrival of a terrible presence, and then a fearful realization following a flash of green.

Juugo was dead on the floor, and a tall skinny man with red slits for eyes and swathed in a clock stepped over the body towards them all.

Suigetsu roared in fury at the fall of his last comrade and swung his blade arbitrarily at Voldemort.

Voldemort effortlessly avoided the wide angled swipe and lazily pointed his wand at Suigetsu's head as he was trying to pull the sword back up.

"Avada Kedavra." He said coldly. There was a high pitched noise, and green light once again illuminated the vicinity.

Suigestu's body crumpled down over Juugo's and Voldemort regarded them with cold indifference. He looked at Orochimaru who didn't seem the least disturbed that his lieutenants had just been killed.

"They are weak." Voldemort stated callously. He cast his eyes over the other shinobi in the room and alleged "As are these ones."

Orochimaru finally expressed some showings of anger at this comment and exclaimed "These are the ones that almost killed me brother!"

'_Brother?!' _

All the other people in the room were frozen as they looked with slack jaws at the two arguing monsters before them. _Those two abominations were related to each other?!_

In a way, it made sense, but in another, it was oh so wrong.

"And I have already told you that wizards are superior to ninjas." Voldemort replied without looking.

Naruto's hands twitched in anger.

"I don't care how you two are related, but both of you are going to DIE!" he screamed.

To his rage, both of them ignored him completely.

He growled and in a split second without any visible movement at all, 100 weapons were flying at the snake brothers.

As Naruto's companions exclaimed in shock, the intended targets disappeared and reappeared above. Orochimaru was standing on the ceiling, while Voldemort was hovering in midair.

"It seems we will have to finish our quarrels some other time." Voldemort said. All of Naruto's projectiles went to waste and thudded uselessly to the ground and into the walls.

"No encouragement is needed…" Orochimaru hissed.

"Tell me Potter," Voldemort said mockingly. "Do you miss your little girlfriend?"

"You lied and tricked!" Harry snarled. He was going to make him pay for that.

"And what makes you think that I lied?" Voldemort said coolly.

"You lied about having Naruto."

"That was not _my _failure, but my brothers. I am perfectly able to take hostage of a defenseless teenager."

"I don't believe it." Harry said defiantly.

"I pity you then." Voldemort waved his wand and a binded figure appeared in the air next to him.

"It won't work on me." Harry shouted as he looked at the gagged person.

But she did look extremely similar to Cho.

Her long black hair was swept downwards by the force of gravity, and her dark eyes looked pleadingly at Harry. Those eyes…he'd learned to love them.

'_No! Snap out of it!'_

"I believe…" Voldemort began "That you are in need of convincing."

He put his claw-like hand inside his black cloak and pulled from it a burgundy wand. Harry's eyes widened. It looked exactly like Cho's!

"Illusions can be cast." Hermionie declared, as she too recognized it.

"You are a smart girl." Voldemort said in glee. "But then you therefore should know that _this_ particular spell cannot lie."

He placed the tip of his own wand against Cho's wand. "Priori Incantatem!"

They watched in trepidation as very slowly, a silvery form began budding from the end of Cho's wand.

The shimmering swan spread it's wings wide and gave out a single, sad cry before fading back into the air.

"Cho's Patronus." Harry whispered.

"Correct Potter." Voldemort sneered. "Ah, what will you do?"

The Dark Lord shook his head in false pity. "I was not planning on coming here tonight for the prophecy, but under these circumstances, I cannot refuse the chance to be rid of you once and for all."

'_Crap.'_ Naruto thought.

Voldemort pointed his wand at Cho who began wriggling as she tried to get away. "What you have is hope." Voldemort whispered. "But I will make sure that at the moment of your death, any hope that still remains is gone."

He grinned as he flicked his wand and Cho began writhing in pain as the silent Cruicatus curse struck. Oh, he was not going to let her die peacefully. Let them watch, and suffer.

He was beyond shocked when Cho disappeared in a puff of smoke.

Orochimaru sighed and gave his brother a look clearly saying 'I-told-you-so' and in answer to the questioning glare he received, he inclined his head to the ground.

Naruto handed over the unconscious Cho into Harry's waiting arms, a forced smile on his face. He watched gladly as Harry quickly took her off him and held her close to him.

Naruto fought down the instinct to clutch at his chest as the pain reached there too, and he slowly treaded back to Sasuke's side. He'd used up almost all his remaining chakra in that outburst of speed. It had been necessary to make sure Orochimaru didn't catch him in the act, but now…

He smiled wanly at Sasuke who smiled fondly back at him. _'I will protect him.'_

Right now, all he cared about was getting all of them out of there…before he couldn't even manage that.

From above them, Voldemort began waving his wand in a complicated motion, his eyes narrowed with malice.

"You wanted the shinobi?" he asked.

Orochimaru's eyes glinted as he nodded.

* * *

Like always, i'm gonna ask you to review XP. 

Like i said in my previous chapter, my new story 'End to Serenity' now has it's prologue and first chapter up. So start reading that if you're a sasunaru fan! I probably won't update that until this story is finished though, because i'm trying to attempt different style of writing .

By the way, before people critisize the content of this chapter and for killing off people, might i say, that this story is not meant to be an angsty one. (wink, nudge, hint)


	18. The Final Battle

Yes, this chapter is horribly short, but it's almost all fighting, and i find it hard to drag out fight scenes .

But anyhow, enjoy this. Ahh...my story is drawing to a close!

" "- talking

_' '- thinking_

**" "- Kyuubi/Inner Sakura**

* * *

**_--Chapter Eighteen--_**

**_--The Final Battle--_**

"MOVE!"

Sakura roughly pushed Harry and Cho out of the way as a vertical, glowing line sizzled it's way down between them, deeply scarring the dusty ground. The edge crashed into the wall and where it had passed over there was now a shimmering, translucent divider.

Voldemort looked in contentment at his spell.

Sakura, Naruto, Sasuke and Orochimaru were left on one side, Harry, Ron, Hermionie and Voldemort were on the other. As for Suigetsu and Juugo's bodies…they were caught in the middle- a bloody, tangled mess of limbs and...eugh.

As Ron made to touch the barrier, Hermionie and Harry both wrestled him away.

Harry kicked him in the shin for his stupidity, and Hermionie whacked him on the forehead.

"You don't know what it can do!" she shouted at him. Ron nodded in fear at her anger and wisely backed away from it.

Voldemort looked down at them in malicious glee, his red eyes gleaming horribly. He descended slowly to the ground and then stood there on a plinth of black smoke which spiraled outwards from him.

"Potter…we will duel today for the last time." He whispered.

Harry laid Cho down next to the barrier and then turned to Voldemort, pulling his wand out as he did.

"Ron, Hermionie… look after Cho for me. And stay out of it. Please."

He was going to do this alone. This was the monster who had killed his parents. He would get revenge on the person who had destroyed the life he could have had, and then tried to further exact the destruction of the life which had been so hard for him to build.

He looked Voldemort directly in the eyes, and unfazed, glared back into those red, emotionless slits. _'Are these the eyes my parents saw when they died?' _he wondered.

He made the first move.

"Expelliarmus!"

* * *

On the other side, Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura were having a silent face-off with Orochimaru. Glares capable of killing anyone who dared walk into this soundless exchange were in plenty. 

Sasuke involuntarily put his hand over where his skin was still stinging from the force with which Orochimaru had laid his seal.

Orochimaru snickered as he saw this, and Naruto noticed for the first time the angle at which Sasuke was holding himself to avoid provoking the pain.

"Sasuke" he asked cautiously. "What's on your stomach?"

Orochimaru now laughed out loud. "Why don't you show him Sasuke-kun?" he sneered.

"Shut up." Sasuke growled. He reluctantly pulled back at his white armor and black top and tugged them up to reveal to Naruto the 5 swirls surrounding his navel.

Naruto's eyes widened as he saw and he shouted "Why didn't you tell me earlier?" He began hurrying towards Sasuke. He lifted his right hand and blue chakra swirled on each of his fingertips. "Here, let me unseal it."

Naruto was a prodigy when it came to seals, something which he had inherited from his father. But the process regarding performing seals and breaking them required a lot of chakra, something which Sasuke knew Naruto was in short supply of.

"No!"

Naruto stopped walking and looked at him in confusion.

Sasuke shook his head and firmly said "After." He would just have to depend on his weapons and taijutsu. _'There's no way I'm letting him use anymore chakra.'_

Naruto looked distractedly while he was really screaming in frustration. He let the chakra flow from his fingers back into his body. Sasuke didn't know, but if he didn't have his chakra, that meant that the only person who did would be Sakura.

However, any chance for him to dissuade Sasuke disappeared as Orochimaru began his attack.

His legendary katana blade slashed at them and they both leapt to the sides to allow Sakura to come forwards from between them. "Don't!" Naruto shouted as she prepared to punch into the ground. "You'll collapse the entire building!"

Sakura hesitated and in that moment, Orochimaru took the opportunity to hit her with the hilt of his blade. She was knocked backwards into the wall, where a WHACK told them all that she had impacted with her head. She fell to the ground, unconscious, and Naruto was now panicking.

'_Now the only person with chakra is__ the snake-bastard! That's just great!'_

Orochimaru swung his blade sideways and managed to slice Naruto's left thigh. Naruto hissed in pain and then plastered an explosive note onto Orochimaru's back as he sped past.

The explosion caused a downfall of rocks from the ceiling, and Sasuke was forced to move Sakura as a huge boulder narrowly missed her.

Naruto landed on the ground next to them and scanned the area for Orochimaru. There was no way that a single explosive note would be the end of him.

He whipped around at Sasuke's cry of pain to see that the katana had slid a few millimeters into Sasuke's neck in it's aim to behead him.

Enraged, Naruto grabbed it with his gloved left hand. The padding prevented the blade from cutting his fingers off, and he pulled it with all his might so that Orochimaru was dragged from his hiding place beneath the ground in a noisy cracking of earth.

Sasuke positioned a kunai for Orochimaru's chest as it approached, and Orochimaru was forced to relinquish his hold on the katana or else be staked through the heart.

He leapt backwards away from them and opened his mouth to allow dozens of serpents to flow out and towards them over the ground.

Seeing no other way out of it, Naruto threw the katana aside and put the forefingers of his right hand to his mouth. "Grand Fireball Technique!" A medium sized fireball disintegrated all the snakes and Naruto doubled over with the effort. Fortunately, that particular technique did not require a huge amount of chakra.

He faintly registered that Sasuke had begun a katana duel with Voldemort. Their blades flashed brightly in the candlelight and Naruto prepared to join…

He screamed as the Cruciatus curse hit him from behind in the back and he fell writhing to the floor. Sasuke shouted and tried to come over but Orochimaru forced him back with a threatening hack.

His voice hoarse, Naruto glared daggers at the figure from the floor which was now pulling back it's hood to finally reveal their identity. Naruto scolded himself as he recognized the profile. "I should have killed you before!" he shouted.

Bellatrix held herself rigidly as she looked once more into those eyes which terrified her so. Naruto noticed that her face was scarred horrendously, and that she no longer had that gloating air about her.

"But I suppose" he smirked. "That someone else taught you a lesson?"

Bellatrix screamed uncontrollably at him. "It is your fault that the Dark Lord punished me! I will kill you and redeem myself!"

"Bring it then!" Naruto tried pulling himself to his feet, and then fell back almost instantly. "Shit!" He looked from his bleeding thigh to Orochimaru's grinning face. _'He channeled chakra through his katana!' _

Bellatrix grinned as she raised her wand. Naruto's mind blanked out, and he was lost as the wand came whistling downwards.

A rush of pink and Bellatrix was very suddenly on the ground.

Sakura straightened herself and with one hand pulled Naruto up by the shoulder. Slightly embarrassed, Naruto didn't say anything as Sakura healed his thigh.

"Thanks Sakura" he mumbled as she finished. He looked anxiously at the fight still going between Sasuke and Orochimaru, and Sakura sighed.

"Go help him" she said, waving a hand. She walked towards Bellatrix, who had backed away to the wall and had a wild, cornered look about her face. "I'll take care of this one."

Naruto nodded and withdrew his katana from it's sheath as he left Sakura for the other battle. Orochimaru saw him coming and Naruto had to quickly side step the shuriken Orochimaru had thrown from beneath his sleeve.

_'Tired…'_

Jumping to Sasuke's side, he and Sasuke both furiously tried to disarm the snake sannin.

Orochimaru laughed over the flashing blades, finding it no challenge at all. "Use your jutsus!" he shouted mockingly.

Spotting an opening, he shouldered a surprised Naruto in the chest, sending him flying. Naruto's fall created a smoking crater just outside the hole he had made in the wall with his rasengan. He pulled himself out, searching for his fallen katana. He spotted it a few meters away from the edge of the crater and made for it.

Sasuke was once again left alone with Orochimaru, and was rapidly weakening.

Orochimaru did a treacherous forwards stab which tricked Sasuke into pulling his own to block. However, the sannin flicked the point of his katana at the last moment to have it pierce Sasuke through the ribs.

Sasuke looked in shock down at the blade between his ribs, while Orochimaru's face was already expressing his victory. He pulled the katana out, and watched as Sasuke fell to the ground.

"I am so sorry Sasuke-kun" he said evilly. "But…this is what happens to those who oppose me."

His mind froze in total shock as Sasuke disappeared in a poof of smoke, and no other thoughts crossed it until he finally realized the throbbing pain which was going through his chest…

Two katana blades criss-crossed out of his chest, having impaled him through the back. Blood gushed out his mouth, and he turned slowly to see the grinning faces of Sasuke and Naruto, who both were gripping the hilts of the blades impaling him.

"How…?" he croaked. "This cannot be happening…"

"I undid the seal on Sasuke when you weren't looking." Naruto whispered. "You were so confident that in the end it destroyed you a second time. But this time…will definitely be the last."

He twisted his hand and Orochimaru gave an inhuman scream as the blade wrenched his heart away from the veins and arteries which gave him life.

Naruto and Sasuke both slashed outwards with their blades at the same time, shredding Orochimaru's body and splattering themselves with black blood. The tattered corpse fell to the ground.

"He's gone." Naruto said softly.

Sasuke grabbed him and not caring that they were covered in blood and still in a dangerous place with fighting surrounding them, he proceeded to wringing the breath out of Naruto in a suffocating hug.

He felt Naruto's knees buckle and he pulled back to look at Naruto's face.

Naruto attempted a weak smile and said "I think you're going to have to carry me back."

"I told you not to use your chakra." Sasuke growled. He turned to look at Sakura to see that Bellatrix was on the ground with her skull punched in. Not something that you can live with. "Sakura should be able to heal you now."

Naruto looked away from Sasuke's happy face, and uttered quietly so that no one heard it - "It doesn't matter anymore."

* * *

Voldemort had successfully disarmed Harry and now held both Harry's and his own wand in his hands. 

Ron abandoned the entrusted task of looking after Cho to Hermionie and ran forwards to haul Harry up from where he'd fallen to the ground.

Seeing that he was going to have to wait awhile for the entertainment he wanted, Voldemort looked beyond the barrier he'd set up to see how his brother was going.

He felt blinding rage as he saw Naruto and Sasuke hugging each other in an embrace, which was swiftly followed by the closest he had ever felt to sorrow as he saw his one and only family member defeated and dead on the ground at their feet.

His snarl made Harry and Ron look up, and they tried shouting in warning to Sasuke and Naruto as Voldemort pointed his wand at the two. But the barrier stopped their voices long before they could reach the two lovers.

Voldemort lifted his wand and pointed it at Sasuke's back. His voice overflowing with rage, he shouted "Avada Kedavra!"

It seemed in slow motion that the stream of neon green streaked through the air. It passed through the force field without losing any velocity and headed ever so closer for Sasuke.

The Golden Trio shouted in despair, and Sakura screamed in warning as she raised her head and saw it too.

Naruto's eyes opened tiredly, and over Sasuke's shoulder, he saw the curse coming…

Sasuke felt himself be twisted around strongly, and he fell against Naruto when the movement finally stopped.

Annoyed, he stood up and was about to tell Naruto off for dragging him when he saw the faded, blue eyes and the vacant expression on Naruto's face.

He didn't know what had happened, and he didn't know why everyone was screaming either, but he did know that right then the world was coming to an end- because the vibrant, happy person that he had fallen in love with was falling forwards into his hands with his normally beaming eyes narrowed in pain.

"NARUTO!"

Sakura rushed to them as he collapsed to his knees, shaking Naruto in his arms. She placed a hand onto Naruto's forehead, desperately trying to preserve his life.

Naruto gave a little, shuddering cough and blood trickled from his mouth and onto Sasuke's hand. His eyes began to close…

* * *

Voldemort's attention was all on the shinobi, and on whether he had successfully managed to dispose of one of them. 

A taunting grin tugged at the corners of his mouth as he watched the dark haired ninja pull the blonde one he'd hit close to his chest. It seemed that it was over for that boy.

Voldemort was so distracted that he had forgotten about his own battle. With Harry's wand in his hand, he had dismissed all possibilities of any attack except for perhaps feeble attempts to try and disarm him through muggle fighting.

And so he did not bother to turn around when Harry gave a child-like battle cry, and he didn't think anything when Harry was so close that he could hear his heavy breathing.

And he almost didn't notice the hilt now protruding from his chest. Almost.

He looked at Harry in disbelief. A muggle weapon?

"The weapon.." Harry panted "that Naruto gave me." He smiled forcefully, eyes red from trying to restrain the tears threatening to fall. "It's fitting that I use it to avenge him." He swiftly pulled the katana out of Voldemort's chest, and then stabbed it right back in again to make another wound next to the first.

"You kept on saying how wizards were superior to shinobi." He said mournfully. "I made that mistake too, but for you it will mean death for underestimating the lethality of a ninja weapon. Goodbye, Tom Riddle."

Voldemort screamed and Harry let go of the hilt and backed away with his hands over his ears. The Dark Lord kept on screaming, his voice scraping into their skulls and threatening to burst their ear drums.

And when he finally stopped, his body slumped to the ground where it landed in a cloud of upset dust, and then was motionless forevermore.

* * *

The first thing that Naruto comprehended was that it was all white. It was nothing but completely, blinding, searing white. 

"Where am I?" he asked no one.

"**Where everyone will eventually come to."**

* * *

Next Chapter- Major cliffiness!! 


	19. I Live For You

Here's the chappy peoples! I'm scared by the number of reviews threatening death to me...

Lesson learnt: Never leave evil cliffies when there are crazy readers around.

" "- Talking

_' '- Thinking_

**" "- Kyuubi/ Inner Sakura**

* * *

**_--Chapter Nineteen--_**

**_--I Live for You--_**

"**Where everyone will eventually come to."**

Naruto squinted and he thought he could see reddish-brown. The burgundy shade came closer, until it stopped right before him and he could fuzzily see through the brightness that he was face to face with a boy. He realized with fearful wonder that this boy was wearing what looked to be exactly his old blue and orange jumpsuit outfit.

The boy had reddish-brown hair which near his ears fell down to his shoulders, and this was what Naruto had seen bobbing around. He _looked_ no older than Naruto, but in those red-slitted pupils…there was age beyond reason. And there were symmetrical scars on each cheek.

Naruto shivered as the figure gave him a smile, while the blood-red eyes continued to pierce into his body. Those slitted and black lined eyes were familiar.

"Kyuubi."

Kyuubi nodded his head and grinned to reveal teeth like the canines of a dog, but much more sharper. He moved his head slightly and the hair parted so that Naruto saw the furry ears tapered like a fox's towards the tips.

"**Hello Naruto."**

Naruto just stood there in shock. _'What's going on?! Am I dead? Why is Kyuubi here, and why does he look like this?'_

Naruto looked at Kyuubi's face, having decided it was easier than trying to look at the searing brightness around him. "You said before that everyone comes here? Where is _here_?"

"**I told you before that you'd find out didn't I?"**Kyuubi asked him mockingly.

"You told me I'd find out myself what happens when I die" Naruto said slowly. "But then that means…" His voice trailed away.

"I'm dead?"

Kyuubi threw his head back and gave a soft little laugh. Unnerved, Naruto stepped back. He wasn't sure if he could get used to this new Kyuubi, who seemed so much more agreeable and _normal_.

"But if I'm dead, why am I still talking to you? Why do I still have everything that I had in life?" He looked down his body and saw indeed that he was still dressed in his ANBU outfit. The cuts and blood from the battle were still visible on his skin and clothes. Touching his hair, he could still feel the grime of battle.

And he could still feel fresh in his mind and soul the love he had for Sasuke. It was in no way dimmed, on the contrary, it was now burning him as his desire to see Sasuke again overcame him. _'I want to see him' _he thought sadly.

"If this is death, then what point is there when I can still feel all these emotions, can still talk to you, can still touch, and still remember everything?"

Kyuubi shook his head, and when it looked up, Naruto saw that he looked mildly amused.

"**And did I ever **_**say**_** you were dead?"**

At these words, Naruto suddenly wondered if he had just been drawn into his own mind again, and began once again trying to look around the place for something recognizable. The white light was no longer as bright as before, but he still couldn't see anything.

Kyuubi noticed him jerking around and said **"No, you are not in your mind. And, I can also no longer read your thoughts."**

Naruto looked desperately at Kyuubi then yelled "What's happening then?!"

"**Cool it kid." **

Naruto growled as the Demon king absently scratched his head with his clawed fingers and continued to wear that amused look on his face.

He finally had the courtesy to look at Naruto and say **"Let's put it this way…you are neither alive nor dead."**

Confused, Naruto asked "What?" He then panicked. "Does that mean I'm trapped in limbo?!"

"**No. There is no such thing as being **_**trapped in limbo**_**." **Kyuubi grumbled. **"Why do humans always have to create such stereotypical images **_**before**_** death?"**

"Are you going to elaborate, or are you going to keep on criticizing humans?!"

Kyuubi gave him an affronted look.

Naruto sighed. "Please?"

He nodded in satisfaction. **"That's more like it." **

The demon waved his right hand and Naruto's eyes widened as a majestic throne appeared from thin air and situated itself below Kyuubi. Another wave, and another chair had knocked Naruto's legs out from under him and forced him to sit.

"How can you do that?!" he spluttered as he pulled himself into a better position.

"**This is no longer the territory of mortals." **Kyuubi said. **"In a way, you are right. This is limbo, but one cannot be trapped here. From here, the dead will travel on to either Heaven or Hell. Being a demon king I am one of the controllers of this realm. I am free now, and can go back to living in my Hell. And" **he waved his hands over his body **"I can return to my original form."**

"You're dead?"

"**Not dead." **he laughed. **"I cannot die. I am immortal. You on the other hand…"**

"If I have to go on" Naruto said miserably, "then I'm as good as dead."

"**Then go back."** Kyuubi said calmly.

'_What?!'_

"What?!"

"**Go back." **Kyuubi repeated. **"Personally, I don't want you down there annoying me for the rest of eternity."**

"You just said that I have to go on!"

"**I said the **_**dead **_**have to go on."**

"That makes no sense whatsoever! You said if you come here, then you will continue on to death. That means that when you get here, you _are _dead."

"**You are not dead." **Kyuubi scowled. **"Stop acting like a child."**

Naruto shut up and glared. _'And he is just so mature isn't he?' _he thought.

"**You are technically not dead yet. You recall ****me saying that when the seal breaks, my power will destroy us both?"**

Naruto nodded.

"**Then what will happen if someone tried to kill you under normal circumstances?"**

Naruto answered instantly. "It'd be almost impossible. Your limitless supply of chakra heals me almost instantaneously. But this time I had no more chakra so-"

"**You had **_**all**_** my chakra when the seal broke" **Kyuubi yawned.

"The seal broke?" Naruto asked in confusion. "But didn't that curse kill me?"

"**For the last time, you're NOT dead!"** Kyuubi shouted. For a moment, his voice resembled his old, deep one.

"Yes, sir." Naruto muttered.

"**Back to what I was saying…" **Naruto sweatdropped as a thinking expression crossed Kyuubi's face. **"Aahh, yes. The seal dissolved at the same time as you were hit by that curse. You're lucky Naruto…like always."**

"Lucky?! Doesn't that mean I got killed twice?!" Naruto seethed.

"**Think boy." **Kyuubi growled. **"My chakra heals you. The curse was supposed to kill you. How much chakra do you think you would have needed to counter such extreme damage to your body? If the seal had broken without that curse, the quantity would have been too much for you to handle, thus killing you. However, since it was released at a moment when your body was experiencing damage, it instead contributed to healing the damage."**

"The outbreak of chakra stopped the curse?" Naruto asked in disbelief. It was too coincidental. _'Unless my stress broke it…?'_

"**My chakra is near infinite." **Kyuubi said in a resigned voice as he closed his eyes, looking very much like he was taking a nap. **"But to be able to drag someone back from death used up almost all of even my infinite source. But that is lucky also, because it prevented our destruction from an otherwise overwhelming surge. And also, I am finally free because I am no longer sealed in a brat's body."**

Naruto started to feel he was understanding _some_ of what was happening. "But you still haven't told me why I'm here."

Kyuubi opened one eye and scrutinized him through his scarlet pupils. **"I actually don't know **_**what**_** you're doing here."**

Naruto looked at Kyuubi in outrage. "What do you mean you don't know what I'm doing here?!"

"**You are not dead. Your soul has no business here. But then you shouldn't ****be down here in the first place. I can only guess that when my soul left your body for this realm, your soul's reaction was to follow it because they had been linked for so long."**

"Then that means I can go back." Naruto said hopefully.

"**You **_**can.**_**"**

"Why was that 'can' emphasized?" Naruto asked nervously.

"**Unfortunately, now that I'm back here, I can't take you back without stranding myself once again. You'll have to find your way back yourself."**

"And what if I can't?" he asked in dread.

Kyuubi looked directly upwards at nothing. **"If you are too late to return to your body, it will decompose to the point that your soul can no longer occupy it. When that happens…you **_**will**_** die."**

"How am I suppose to find my way back?!" Naruto asked frantically. He waved his hand around him. "There is _nothing _here!"

"**To find your way back think of what binds you to life. What is it that would make an eternity **_**here**_** different to an eternity **_**there?**_** These things will lead you back if your will is strong enough."**

"That's not very helpful" Naruto groaned.

"**Well I try." **Kyuubi snapped.

" It doesn't matter…I'll definitely make it back." Naruto said. "You know what I'm like"

"**I know." **Kyuubi smiled a genuine smile. **"I didn't mean what I said earlier. I will look forward to seeing you again, many years later."**

"As will I Kyuubi."

Naruto held out his right hand. Kyuubi looked at it in surprise for a moment, and then smiled again.

"**I respect you as an equal, Uzumaki Naruto." **Kyuubi clasped Naruto's hand in his own clawed one and shook it firmly. **"Until we meet again…"**

Kyuubi released his grip, and the moment he did, Naruto was alone.

* * *

Sasuke propped Naruto's body up against the stone walls and refused to look away from the faded blue eyes. Those eyes were linking them together…if he looked away, then he was truly gone forever. The mouth half-opened and that vacant face were killing him… 

Sobbing, Sakura knelt down next to him and hugged him. He didn't react at all.

The other three also had tears running down their faces, but they knew not to intrude upon the grief of Sakura and Sasuke.

"What are we going to do?" Sakura choked.

Sasuke didn't say anything, eyes still locked with Naruto's.

"Stop it!" Sakura screamed hysterically. "I'm not going to lose you too!"

A lone tear fell from Sasuke's eye and onto Naruto's face. He closed his eyes, finally breaking the connection with Naruto. "Call me selfish Sakura...but I won't hesitate to follow Naruto. Even if it means to death."

He felt sudden pressure on his neck and chest. He opened his eyes in horror. Looking directly at Sakura he yelled "Let me go!" Sakura had hit the pressure points controlling his body movement.

Sakura shook her head recklessly, water flying. "I won't let you hurt yourself!" she screamed. "You're not going!"

The Golden Trio looked sorrowfully. How could the three shinobi, so strong, beautiful and perfect…have met such a fate?

"Let me go!" Sasuke wailed. "Let me go Sakura!"

Sakura bit down on her lip and turned away from him. Hermionie came over to put an arm around her shaking frame.

Bitterly, Sasuke turned his face back to Naruto's face. He smiled and then closed his eyes.

"You can't stop me Sakura."

Sakura twisted around just in time to see Sasuke reopen his eyes- eyes which were now red, and which had the Mangekyou swirling within. Sasuke locked his eyes onto Naruto's once more, and a bittersweet smile graced his lips.

"NO!" Sakura screamed.

She lunged for him, but she knew already that she was too late. Sasuke's eyes had become unfocused – he had already entered into Naruto's mind, where the doorway to death would be left invitingly open.

* * *

For the umpteenth time Naruto looked determinedly at the white around him and willed it to turn into something, _anything_.

'_I don't want to die just yet.' _He thought desperately. _'I want to go back to where Sasuke and Sakura and everyone else are.'_

He looked around hopefully to see if there was a flash of black or pink. His smile slipped from his face when he saw nothing again.

He let himself fall onto the white emptiness. _'No…I can't give up just yet! What binds someone to life? What is different there?'_

His brow furrowed. _'The people? But then, they will come down here eventually too.'_

"Sasuke" he murmured. "Will I really have to wait more than 50 years to see you again?"

_It was a bright, sunny day in Konoha. And almost everyone had the day off._

_The sweltering sun had encouraged them to go to the riverside and go for some swimming._

_Naruto __was watching from the shoreline, sitting in only his swimming trunks on the sandy ground._

_He laughed as he watch Lee push Neji into the water. A pissed off Neji came above the surface and then pulled Lee in as well._

_Further down the bank, Sasuke was looking sulkily at everyone else. Kakashi was sitting in a nook in a tree above the water, reading his perverted book._

_Ino, Hinata, Sakura and Tenten were splashing water, and giggling and pointing at each of the guys in turn, taking advantage of the revealed chests and bodies to ogle._

_Chouji and Shikamaru were standing in some of the shallower water, and were conversing quietly._

_Naruto smiled in contentment at the spectacle…the vibrant green grass, the crystal blue water, the cloudless, sunny sky, and all his friends. His _friends._ He was so happy…_

_Suddenly strong arms grabbed him under each of his arms, and another pair lifted his legs up. _

"_Hey!"_

_Unable to do anything, he could only yell as he was thrown into the water. He swam to the surface and glared from beneath his sopping hair at Kiba, Shikamaru, Chouji, and Sasuke._

_Kiba was laughing his head off, and Sasuke was grinning. "Hey dobe. We just figured you were getting a bit too sunburnt sitting here."_

_Naruto raised an eyebrow. "Oh really?" _

_He grinned as his shadow clones tackled the 4 on the bank into the water._

_He began swimming rapidly away as 4 annoyed teens began free styling after him._

_When they reached the tree beneath Kakashi, their sensei complained "Can't you pick somewhere else to be a nuisance?"_

"_Can't you pick somewhere else to read?"_

_Naruto sent a splash of water at Kakashi, who gave a girl-like squeal and covered his book swiftly from danger._

_Kakashi's eyes glinted. "Never…hurt…the book! Suiton: Great Dragon Flood!"_

"_Argh!"_

Naruto chuckled absently.

_He and Sasuke laughed as they watched from halfway up the wall as Sakura, Harry, Ron and Hermionie ran past down below._

"_What do you think they want us for?" Naruto asked innocently._

"_Oh, I don't know. Do you think it had something to do with these?" Sasuke held out the three wands and the glass phial in his hand._

_Naruto laughed and took the glass phial in his own hand. "Sakura must be going nuts. Obaachan would kill her if she lost her precious medicine mixing phial."_

"_YOU TWO!"_

_Sakura was running up the wall with fists drawn back and glowing blue…_

"_What do we do?!" Naruto asked madly._

"_Run for it idiot!" Sasuke shouted._

"Everyone…"

_A beautiful, quiet night. Pitch black with the exception of the sparkling stars on the velvet backdrop that was the night sky._

_Two teens were lying back on the grassy hill, alone in the silent grounds._

_Naruto reached his hand down and entwined it into Sasuke's. 'I feel so lucky…'_

_Sasuke looked over at Naruto and smiled. He leaned forwards…_

"I can see it…" Naruto said. "I understand!"

He laughed out loud. "That's it isn't it Kyuubi! We're binded to life by our _emotions_ and bonds with people. A person with no bonds gives up on life. Someone with many bonds stays till the very end for the sake of these."

He looked happily to where he could now see him and Sasuke sitting on the hill, where previously it had just been white.

'_But how does this help me get back?'_

The colorful vision began vanishing around him. _'Wait!'_ he though frenziedly. But even as he watched, it vanished completely.

He looked urgently around for anything, but the landscape had returned to it's painful, bone white. _'At this rate…'_ At this rate he wouldn't be able to return.

Casting his eyes sadly around, he thought he saw a flash of black. It disappeared the next second.

Rubbing furiously at his eyes, he hoped against hope that he wasn't imagining things.

He slowly reopened his eyes, and then sighed unhappily when he couldn't see anything. _Now I'm going mad.'_

"Sasuke…" he said sorrowfully.

"Yes dobe?"

Naruto jerked around to look behind him, and he saw with a mixture of happiness and uncertainty, Sasuke. _'Sasuke? Is it…?!'_

"Sasuke!"

He allowed himself to be pulled into Sasuke's arms. He hugged him back joyfully, at a loss for words. _'Is this real? Is it another illusion?'_

He pushed Sasuke back to arm's length, and then looked him in the eye and asked, very seriously "What did we do on New Years Eve?"

Sasuke gave him an extremely _painful _whack across the head. Flaming red, Sasuke half-yelled "I follow you here and the first thing you ask me is _that?!'_

Eyes watering from the pain, Naruto smiled giddily and shouted "It hurts! You're real!"

"The hell are you on – "

He was muffled by Naruto throwing himself on top of him and hugging him so tightly that he could swear his ribs were bending.

"Can't…breathe!"

Naruto quickly let go. "Sorry!" he laughed. "Got carried aw –"

His lips were enclosed, and after only a split seconds moment of surprise, he instantly returned the kiss.

It was the most intense kiss they'd ever had. Filled with happiness, love and sadness at the same time. They went on for an age…

A thundering voice startled them, pulling them apart.

"**You two better get going before it's too late!"**

Kyuubi was once again standing there, an all-knowing expression on his face.

Sasuke smiled gratefully at the distant figure. "Thank you."

Kyuubi cocked his head to one side. **"For what? For telling Naruto he could go back? Even if I hadn't told him, you would have come to find him. And so either way, his feelings for those he loved in the living world, and their feelings for him, would have taken him back."**

Kyuubi gave a final, condemning laugh and then faded from view again. **"Hurry up and go already…"**

Naruto looked nervously at Sasuke. "Umm…so how do we get back?"

Sasuke revealed his Mangekyou to Naruto. "The same way that I got in."

Naruto tightened his grip on Sasuke's hand as Sasuke placed the forefingers of his other hand up before his face.

"Sasuke."

"Hmm?"

"I love you" Naruto said shyly. He blushed as the words came out.

Sasuke put his hand down and then pulled both Naruto's hands in his own. He smiled handsomely and said "I love you too."

* * *

Next chapter will be the epilogue, and the last chapter of them all.

I hope you've liked my story, because i've certainly enjoyed writing this. Thank you to the people who stayed with me from the beginning of this all the way to the end next chapter.

Sayonara!


	20. Epilogue

We're finally here...the last chapter! oh no!

Thank you so much for reading and encouragement! This story has really been enjoyable to write

This chapter used an idea from a suggestion from one of my reviewers. I'm sorry, i can't remember who it was! Enjoy this final.

" "- talking

_' '- thinking_

**" " - kyuubi/inner sakura**

* * *

_**--Epilogue--**_

_**--Chapter Twenty--**_

**_--Together Forever--_**

For both Sasuke and Naruto a good part of the next two months was spent in the hospital wing under the scrutinizing eyes of both Sakura and Madam Pomfrey. Sasuke left a week into the second month but unfortunately for Naruto, he would have to stay until the very end of July.

It was far from dull though. He got visitors everyday, including daily routines from Harry, Ron and Hermionie. Sasuke of course stayed almost every moment next to Naruto's bed until he was forcefully removed by Sakura. Usually it needn't come to that – Sakura's threats were very potent.

"_Get out."_

"_Hn. No."_

"_Once last chance. Get out."_

"_I said no."_

"_THAT'S IT!"_

_BAM_

"_Sasuke!"__ yelled Naruto._

Umbridge had disappointingly, _not_ been buried by Grawp, as Hagrid had had the sense of mind to stop him before Umbridge was chucked into the house sized hole. She was now facing several years in Azkaban as punishment for her plots against Harry, which had been revealed to Cornelius Fudge on that night in the Department of Mysteries. It was common knowledge though, that a mighty large portion of the community wanted her burnt at the stake for the attempted murder of the boy who had rid them of Voldemort once and for all.

Dumbledore had been reinstated as the Headmaster and Hogwarts was back to being peaceful once more. Well…it would be completely peaceful the moment the shinobi were out of there.

The news of Voldemort's death had spread through the wizarding community faster than a rumour at Hogwarts. It had resulted in much mayhem as celebrating witches and wizards almost destroyed their cover by recklessly displaying magic in plain sight of muggles.

Tidings of Orochimaru's death spread back at Konoha almost as quickly. The day after, the rest of the Konoha 12 had come to visit again. They were unfortunately deprived of entertainment, which was not to be provided by the bandaged figures on the beds.

"_Get up you two!" shouted Kiba into a sleeping Naruto's ear. Naruto didn't stir at all._

_But he had no need to when the mother hen was around._

"_What. Have. I. Told. You. About DISTURBING THE PATIENTS?!" Sakura screamed. "ALL OF YOU OUT!"_

_CRASH_

On the last day of Naruto's hospitalization Sasuke went up to the Hospital Wing to pick him up. He found Naruto sitting cross-legged on the end of the bed with a bored expression on his face and his lips in a pout. He was looking absently at a lock of his own golden hair hanging down in front of his eyes.

'_So cute…'_

Naruto instantly perked up upon sensing Sasuke in the doorway and with unnecessarily incredible speed threw himself onto the raven-haired teen.

"What took so long! I've been waiting for _hours _!"

Sasuke laughed and Naruto let go of him a gave a gentle smack across the forehead. He was returned to almost perfect health and was finally back in his ANBU outfit, which Sasuke found much more appealing on him than the baggy long-sleeved pajamas had been.

Grinning his foxy grin, Naruto asked "Are we going then?" The whisker like scars still remained on his cheeks, and Sasuke was glad of that since it had become a distinguishing feature of Naruto's.

"Yeh. Where's your bag?"

"Got it here" called a voice.

Smiling, Sakura walked over with a small backpack in one hand. "I'm finished here now. Let's go."

She rolled her eyes and walked ahead as Naruto and Sasuke held each others hands. _'How are we going to explain to the rest of the school that the two most eligible bachelor's are gay and together?"_

Well…she knew that _she_ wasn't going to be telling them. Maybe they could avoid it ever coming to that?

Naruto let out a satisfied sigh as the portrait hole closed shut behind them in Gryffindor Tower. "It feel's so good to be back here!" he exclaimed as they walked into the midst of the Common Room. A few girls squealed as they saw the welcome sight of their blonde guard back amongst them.

"Don't get comfortable." Sasuke said. "It's the last week of their school year now, so this is our last few days in Hogwarts."

Naruto pouted sadly and Sasuke had the urge to cuddle him. "I'm gonna miss being here."

"Make sure you visit then. And then we'll do the same."

Harry grinned from behind Naruto, while Hermionie and Ron looked from beyond. "Did I manage to get you that time?"

Naruto screwed his face into false consideration. "Hmm…no."

A split second later Harry was lying on his back on the floor and his glasses were in Naruto's hands. "Give up Harry."

Harry sighed, got up and then smiled at Naruto. "I'll have to start taking lessons from you some time. So will you guys visit?"

Naruto threw Harry's glasses lightly back at him and said "The moment we have any time on our hands we will."

Harry nodded happily.

"Hey, are you guys ready for the Ball?" Hermionie asked excitedly as she and Ron joined the little circle.

"Got all your materials?" Ron asked with a face stuffed full of candy.

Dumbledore had announced that in order to further the celebrations there would be a Ball held on the second last day of term in which the theme was 'Mythical Beasts and Creatures'. No one was allowed to know of anyone else's identity unless they guessed it them self or until everyone had taken off their masks at the end.

"Materials?" Naruto scoffed. "We don't need any. We can change our outfit in a flick of our fingers. And a bit of chakra I suppose…"

"Naruto!" Sakura whacked him on the head. ("Oww!"). "That's just an illusion! This is a serious, traditional Masquerade Ball, and we should follow their tradition and make our own outfits!"

"What?! But Sakura-chan, that'll take so much effort! And I already had my outfit in mind anyway!" Naruto complained.

Sasuke grinned and put an arm around Naruto's shoulder. "Don't worry dobe. If you need, I can help. I already finished mine."

Sakura nodded approvingly. "See, now you're the only person." _'Sasuke-kun, get that arm off Naruto before all those fan girls over there smother you."_

Naruto looked at Sasuke very seriously in the face and waved a finger around. "Sasuke, you're not seeing it until the ball." he stated with an air of finality. "It's a surprise."

Sasuke's reply was to raise an eyebrow. _'I'll just have to dig through his stuff…'_

* * *

_2 Days Later – The Night of the Masquerade Ball –_

Chaos ensued.

Trying to make sure no one else would identify them, people dressed as vampires, banshees, and a whole array of some shabby and some wondrous costumes were hurriedly leaving the Common Room in pairs in the hope that no one but that other person with them would know who they were. It was hopeless to expect that not a single person would know who you were. Unless you were a shinobi of course.

Naruto grinned at his costume in the mirror in the dorm, making sure that everything was in place. He was alone, the others having all already left. To his disappointment he'd missed out on seeing what Sasuke's outfit was, but he'd had the pleasure of catching Harry dressed as a rather feminine vampire and Ron looking very spotty in his attempts to look like his family ghoul.

He grabbed his mask from the bedside cabinet and with a hand seal vanished. He reappeared in the Great Hall with his mask securely tied at the back of his head, and with his identity intact.

Everyone was meant to assemble in the Great Hall where the Ball would officially begin. The teachers had also dressed up, although had taken the dignity to refuse wearing masks. They were sitting at the staff table at the front and supervising the already packed and squabbling Hall.

The 4 normal tables had been replaced instead with dozens of smaller, round tables sitting a maximum of 10 people at each. It was around these where people nervously gathered. It was a major giveaway doing this, and Naruto could easily identify the 2 dark-brown haired girls together as the Patil twins, and the brown haired boy and straw haired boy as Seamus and Dean.

Naruto grinned as a pair of trolls (no doubt Crabbe and Goyle) tottered past him, and he laughed as he saw Harry next to a fairy in a feathered half-mask he assumed was Cho.

'_I wonder where Sasuke is?...__I hope he likes my costume.' _

"Hey!" A random (and drunk) looking dementor waggled about in front of Naruto. "Looking hot!"

_(No, I have not forgotten to describe Naruto's outfit. All shall be revealed later!)_

Naruto laughed gingerly and then remembering that no one knew who he was, he gave a flirtatious wave to the guy and then streaked off, hoping to hell that he wasn't going to be hunted down by a crazy fan boy later.

He weaved his way through a few tables and looking cautiously behind him, made sure that he was out of sight of the crazed Dementor.

A thunderous but benevolent voice boomed over everyone, and all noise instantly stopped. Everyone's heads turned to the front and all attention was given to Dumbledore. Dumbledore was in a majestic outfit which he had chosen in honour of his pet phoenix. Like the other teachers he was mask-less, but his robes had definitely had more effort contributed to them than any of the others.

His costume was not designed to _look _like a phoenix. Instead, it accentuated his own features to give that impression. Golden and scarlet in color and shimmering metallic, the robes were cut in such a way that the long trailing bit at the back looked like a plumed tail, and the wide sleeves gave the impression of wings.

Smiling sincerely at them all Dumbledore spread his arms –looking even more like a phoenix- and said "Hogwarts students, staff, and shinobi of Konoha," at this point he gave a wink in Naruto's direction. "At present time, I announce the beginning of the Masquerade Ball to celebrate the end of the school year! And what a marvelous year it has been!"

Cheers and cries echoed throughout the room at these words and Naruto folded his arms and looked at Dumbledore in interest.

Dumbledore continued on with his speech. "We will, unfortunately, also have to say goodbyes to our beloved shinobi who have helped us so much. Kindly put your hands together for Naruto Uzumaki, Sasuke Uchiha and Sakura Haruno!"

Naruto grinned as he looked around at the roaring audience.

Once the clapping had died down, Dumbledore waved his wand to the ceiling. "And so, before the time has robbed us of the blessed night, let the Ball begin!" From his wand shot a shower of sparks which hit the ceiling in the center. Folds of silk which had been there previously instantly shot downwards, hanging from the roof and waving beautifully 5 meters above everyone's heads. The sparks from Dumbledore's spell slid down the length of the silky drapes so that they shimmered with rainbow flecks.

The candles diminished to a dull glow so that the drapes were the primary source of light, and then the music struck up. The flecks of light being reflected off the drapes replaced what a disco ball would otherwise have done, and Naruto looked in awe at the beauty of the Hall, instantly wanting Sasuke by his side in this romantic setting.

'_I wish Sasuke could be standing here with me. Where IS he?"_

He sniffed the air but could not find Sasuke's scent anywhere. _'He better not have covered it.'_

Craning his neck to look around, he caught sight of the doors to the Great Hall wide open and the misty darkness filtering in. _'Outside maybe?'_

With quite a bit of difficulty he struggled through the sea of people to the doors. Not easy when people were latching themselves onto him every few feet. Maybe his outfit hadn't been such a good idea after all?

He was grateful to find that outside was quite empty, being the haunt of only a dozen or so couples who had no interest in anything but each other. Cho and Harry were sitting on a marble bench beneath a cherry blossom tree in full bloom that most certainly had not been there before.

Naruto hurried to make himself scarce as their faces drew closer together…

He stood on the top of the grassy hill where Harry, Hermionie and Ron had first hid before fighting them. Looking down on the lake he was enchanted by it's invisible depths, glassy surface and the perfect full moon, clouds and stars reflected brightly on it's face…so beautiful, quiet, and the perfect likeness of tranquility. Around the lake, the shadowed trees of the Forbidden Forest waved gently in the slight wind, framing the lake like a bay and hiding it from prying eyes in preservation of it's calm serenity.

Inspired, Naruto walked out into the center of the lake -making rhythmic ripples as he did- and stood on the face of the reflected moon. The brightness from below him made him feel light-headed and even more trapped in a fairytale which he hoped he would never have to be freed from.

And as the clouds and moon began their westward descent as the night dragged on, Naruto found contentment in the person who had materialized silently behind him like a ghost.

A hand brushed like feathers against his own.

"Naruto" whispered a soft voice.

"Sasuke" he acknowledged.

They were completely and utterly alone in a world that they could call their own. The two lovers standing together on the glowing moon in the center of the lake, beneath where an identical twin shone down on them from the heavens above.

Naruto smiled benignly and Sasuke smiled back. Both of them were wearing half face masks that covered only their eyes to their foreheads. Even if they hadn't worn masks they could have escaped the revealing of their identities - courtesies of their ninja arts.

Despite what Sakura had told them, both had decided to change their natural features to some extent. And both of them had to admit, these changes were by no means regrettable.

Naruto's blonde hair was now many shades darker, and streaked through it was the darkest, bluest navy.

Sasuke ruffled Naruto's changed hair and placing his face in it he inhaled deeply. "It suits you."

Naruto cocked his head to the side and smiled, at the same time managing to give a quizzical, mocking look, a combination which had Sasuke's breathing quiver. "Do you really think so? But it looks so much more better on you" he laughed.

Sasuke gave a little grumble and fingered his own hair, which was lightened a few shades, and which now had lengths of pale red and dulled gold.

"I tried the gold by itself…it didn't go too nicely."

Naruto entwined a finger into a lock of Sasuke's hair and gave a playful grin, one which was just begging for Sasuke to cover it…was that a fox ear he saw?

He looked in surprise at Naruto's outfit, and Naruto stopped playing with his hair and did the same to his.

"You…"

Sasuke flushed as his eyes absorbed what they were seeing, and Naruto did the same as he looked Sasuke up and down.

They were both wearing long, silken pants – Naruto red, and Sasuke blue- which flared out at the bottom over their laced up black boots. For Sasuke, a skin tight black shirt was beneath a baggier, white top of which there was just a few centimeters of right sleeve and where the left sleeve reached down to drape across the wrist and over the hand. The white top at the front was drawn upwards so that the flesh of Sasuke's waist was just visible beneath the rippling waves of cloth.

Naruto was wearing a tight black and burgundy sleeveless top. It hugged his figure and Sasuke was almost drooling at the amount of skin he could see through the artistically ripped material. He wore handcuff like bracelets on each wrist, and chains were dangling down from the hip of his pants to match the cuffs. Both of them were wearing large, identical, fox ears.

And behind the each of them 9 long illusionary but realistic looking tails were swishing through the air, made by ninja art.

Naruto smiled and the red tails cutting around the air behind him matched with the eyes which he had transformed to crimson red. He swished a tail forwards to go behind Sasuke.

One of Sasuke's own navy tails came forward to meet it.

Mischievously, Naruto grabbed the tail with his own and jerked on it. Not expecting anything of the sort Sasuke was unprepared and fell forwards. Grinning, Naruto stepped forwards and wrapped his arms around him.

Sasuke looked nervously at this dominant Naruto. Naruto closed his eyes and reopened them to show they had transformed back to his normal, brilliant blue pair. He slowly moved his head forwards, and sealed their love with a kiss…

The swooshing of their tails and the creaking of the crickets were the only sounds to intrude upon their passionate affections. They'd forsaken the gentleness that they'd adored in their past ones, and were instead kissing fiercely.

'_I could die happy right now…'_

Naruto felt tears gather at the corners of his eyes which he'd closed without knowing. He opened them and they spilt down his cheeks. Breaking them apart, Sasuke raised a hand and wiped the water from Naruto's cheeks. He pulled Naruto back towards him and pressed his forehead to Naruto's so that sapphire eyes were gazing into onyx ones.

_'So happy...'_

They held each other there until the moon had gone and the morning sunrise was coming up to greet the loving couple…steeped so deep in the sweetness of their emotions that at that time they'd quite forgotten that they were in a school, on a school day.

* * *

--_Many, many years later--_

"_**Remind me again WHY I stand these horrible visits."**_

_Laughing, Naruto __waved the hand at Kyuubi which wasn't gripping Sasuke's and said "Deep down, you know you love us."_

_Sasuke nodded agreement and grinned as Kyuubi gave a howl._

"_**You're never going to let me live down what I said 50 years ago are you?!" **__he demanded of Naruto._

_The corners of his mouth trembling from trying to contain his laughter, Naruto said "Well…I have a whole eternity to forget."_

"_**I cannot take this!" **__His tails swishing behind him, Kyuubi darted off in a streak of red._

"_Hey!"_

"_Leave him." Sasuke said. "It gives us more time together."_

_He nuzzled up to Naruto's neck and Naruto said joyfully "We have all the time in the world."_

FINITE

* * *

And there it is. The end.

Please REVIEW!!!!! And also, begin reading my other story 'End to Serenity' which i can now work on since this story is finished.

Once more, THANK YOU! and I hope i'll hear more from you in the future.

I had some confused reviewers asking what exactly happened in that last scene. Basically, it's my way of making sure Naruto and Sasuke stay together forever, even after death. But don't worry, there were many happy years before their death, and as a side note i'll let you know that Naruto made Hokage! (woot!)

_--Michiyami--_


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